JEF ministers advance Canadian membership talks and Ukraine cooperation
The Keflavik meeting backed closer cooperation in northern Europe. Canada’s application remains under consideration.
Defence ministers meeting at Keflavik in Iceland on 2 October advanced work on Canada’s application to join the Joint Expeditionary Force, according to a joint statement published by the Ministry of Defence the following day. The statement describes preparations for a recommendation to leaders, rather than confirmation that Canada has joined.
Ukraine cooperation
Ministers also agreed to deepen Ukrainian participation in JEF activities. Ukrainian mine-countermeasure vessels took part in the Lion Protector exercise this year, the statement says.
Northern security
The meeting covered cooperation across the Baltic, North Atlantic and High North, and closer alignment of JEF response options with NATO plans. Ministers attributed sabotage and hybrid activity to Russia and said they would develop common responses. Those statements describe the governments’ assessment; the communiqué supplies no independent evidence for individual incidents.
No new combat operation announced
The ministers said they did not seek confrontation with Russia. Their decisions concern military cooperation and preparedness, and do not establish that a new combat operation has begun.
Sources & verification
Sources checked: 3 October 2026
