Britain Leads New “Northern Navies” Initiative to Counter Russian Maritime Threat

Amid heightened Russian activity in the High North—spurred by the expansion of the Northern Fleet and the ongoing war in Ukraine—European defence planners have warned that Moscow’s naval posture could evolve into a direct confrontation in the North Atlantic. The United Kingdom, already a member of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), has framed the development as a response to a “growing threat” and to the recent surge in covert Russian operations against under-sea cables and pipelines around Britain.

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In late March 2026, naval chiefs from ten states signed a declaration of intent to establish a permanent, NATO-complementary maritime force. The partnership comprises the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; Canada is evaluating membership. The force will train, exercise and develop joint war plans, with command facilities in Northwood, northwest London, ready to “fight immediately if required” with shared systems, logistics and digital networks.

Naval force "complementary to NATO": the initiative of the United Kingdom and nine European countries to counter the Russian threat.

• Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins – First Sea Lord, Royal Navy, chief architect of the initiative.

The Guardian

• John Healey – UK Defence Secretary, who disclosed recent Russian submarine tracking.

The Guardian

• Keir Starmer – Prime Minister, who publicly warned Russia about sanctioned tanker escorts.

The Guardian

• Donald Trump – President of the United States, who criticised the UK’s naval posture.

The Guardian

• Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) – Existing framework now being deepened into a standing northern alliance.

Naval force "complementary to NATO": the initiative of the United Kingdom and nine European countries to counter the Russian threat.

• Russian incursions into British waters have risen by nearly one-third over the past two years.

The Guardian

• The Royal Navy tracked three Russian submarines conducting covert surveillance of UK under-sea infrastructure.

The Guardian

• 98 oil tankers subject to international sanctions have transited British waters since the UK’s warning on 25 March.

The Guardian

Sir Gwyn Jenkins emphasized that “the reality is we must now deepen and evolve this partnership if we are to generate the collective combat power necessary to provide conventional deterrence along our open sea border with Russia.” The Ministry of Defence framed the force as a “hybrid” capability, combining crewed vessels with autonomous drones and uncrewed escort ships. NATO officials have reiterated that the new alliance is “complementary, not separate,” and will enhance rapid response options in the High North.

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The United States has publicly dismissed British-French proposals for defensive patrols as “silly” and the President described Royal Navy aircraft carriers as “toys.” Domestic critics have linked the Royal Navy’s initial deployment delays to historic cuts in shipbuilding and defence spending. Russia has openly defied UK sanctions, deploying frigates to escort sanctioned tankers through the Strait of Dover, and has continued covert submarine operations despite British warnings.

The Guardian

• “Russia remains the gravest threat to our security” — Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord

The Guardian

• “Russian incursions into our waters has jumped by almost a third in the last two years,” — Sir Gwyn Jenkins

The Guardian

• “Jenkins said: “The reality is we must now deepen and evolve this partnership if we are to generate the collective combat power necessary to provide conventional deterrence along our open sea border with Russia.” — Sir Gwyn Jenkins

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• “A force in which interchangeability – the ability to substitute, swap, or mix equipment, parts, ammunition, or personnel – is made possible because member nations would be operating common systems and platforms, shared digital networks, logistics and stockpiles.” — Sir Gwyn Jenkins

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• “toys” — Donald Trump, President of the United States

The Guardian

Jenkins expects a formal declaration of the Northern Navies alliance before the end of 2026, with detailed operational proposals due later in the summer. Development of uncrewed escort ships and further hybrid-force trials are slated for the next two years, while Canada’s potential accession remains under negotiation. The UK government anticipates that a more capable northern fleet will reinforce Euro-Atlantic security and sustain US engagement in the region.

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