Mideast tensions 'not a NATO matter', says Finnish president

HELSINKI - Tensions in the Middle East are "not a NATO matter" because the alliance is a defensive one, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Thursday.

Stubb's remarks draw a clear distinction between NATO's core role and the Middle East crisis, even as regional tensions increasingly shape Europe's security calculations, local media said.

Stubb made the comments at a press conference after a summit of the leaders of the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Helsinki.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the leaders said the Middle East crisis has underscored the importance of maritime security and trade routes essential to collective prosperity and security.

JEF countries will step up deterrence and peacetime activities, including efforts to counter hybrid threats and respond more effectively to security challenges, according to the statement.

They also agreed to deepen coordination across the Arctic, High North, North Atlantic and Baltic Sea regions, which they described as their core shared geostrategic area of concern, the statement said.

Moreover, JEF leaders reaffirmed their commitment to European security and stronger support for Ukraine, the statement added.

The Helsinki meeting brought together leaders of the 10-member JEF grouping -- Britain, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.