Canada Requests Membership in UK-Lead Military Force

Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney's office announced that Ottawa has formally applied to join the Joint Expeditionary Force, a UK-led military alliance comprising ten NATO member states.

This move, according to Carney's office, is part of Canada's efforts to expand its defense cooperation with Europe and reduce dependence on the United States.

Carney's office stated in a statement that the Canadian Prime Minister informed the British side of the formal application, welcoming London's support for Canada's participation in this initiative.

The Joint Expeditionary Force is a multinational military framework for rapid response, focusing particularly on security in Northern Europe, the Baltic region, and the North Atlantic, and includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

The announcement followed a meeting between Carney and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in northern England, where both sides also discussed opportunities for collaboration in defense industries through the Global Combat Air Programme to develop advanced fighter jets.

Canada had joined the program as an observer in July 2026, according to the office of the Canadian Prime Minister.