New RUSI Report argues that the Joint Expeditionary Force is “at an inflection point”

In the report, Ed examines the state of the JEF and provides recommendations for the UK to strengthen the framework to increase its value to NATO and best contribute to European security. The report is part of RUSI’s Transatlantic Trilateral Security Dialogue with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ed outlines the imperative of the UK committing fully to the success of the JEF. He argues: “There is an opportunity for the UK and the JEF to show leadership and set the pace – and standard – for the Europeanisation of NATO… if the UK misses this opportunity, there will be a growing risk that the JEF fails to live up to its ambitions, leading to a serious loss of UK leadership and credibility within Europe.”

The report was launched at an event at RUSI, with panellists evaluating the first decade of the JEF, assessing its reaction to Russia’s war against Ukraine and discussing its potential future, including the expectations on the leaders’ meetings in Tallinn in December 2024 and due in Oslo in May 2025.

Panellists included:

• Ed Arnold, Senior Research Fellow for European Security, RUSI
• HE Mr Viljar Lubi, Ambassador of Estonia to the UK
• Mette Birkelund O’Connor, Counsellor, Defence and Security, The Royal Norwegian Embassy in London
• (Moderating) Ed Lucas, Senior Advisor, Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), and Columnist for The Times

Norwegian security policy has had a transatlantic foothold for at least 70 years. For the foreseeable future, the US will remain Oslo’s most important security guarantor and its most important defence and security partner. However – and regardless of who is in the White House – Norway must prepare for the impact of major shifts in US policy and Washington’s pivot to Asia.

Meanwhile, and particularly in the aftermath of Brexit, the UK has the ambition to be a global security player, with a particular focus on Northern Europe. In this context, there may be opportunities for the UK and Norway to further strengthen bilateral defence and security policy cooperation, with the UK’s close ties with the US further strengthening Norway's relationship with both countries.

This project is run in collaboration between RUSI in London, the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) in Oslo and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington.

You can read more about the project here.