EU and Ukraine deepen cooperation on cyber security at 5th Cyber Dialogue

The exchanges highlighted the importance and depth of the EU-Ukraine cyber partnership, spanning from operational cybersecurity cooperation, alignment to EU norms and policies, to cyber defence and diplomacy, including sanctions. Against the backdrop of Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine, the increasingly complex cyber threat landscape, and Ukraine’s ongoing EU accession process, the Dialogue reaffirmed the shared determination of the EU and Ukraine to further strengthen cooperation and jointly address persistent and evolving cyber threats.

Participants exchanged on the cyber threat landscape and took stock of recent cybersecurity policy developments. These discussions showed the common understanding between the EU and Ukraine on a broad range of cyber-related issues. The EU and Ukraine exchanged views on the implementation of relevant reforms and Ukraine’s approximation to key pillars of the EU legal framework, such as the NIS2 Directive, the Cyber Resilience Act. The participants discussed the advancement on the implementation of the 5G Cybersecurity Toolbox in Ukraine, as a key priority for the security of the telecommunication networks and an economic backbone for the EU and Ukraine’s economies.

The Dialogue also addressed operational cooperation, cyber crisis management and cyber defence, and the use of the Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox, as part of the broader response to malicious cyber activities. The EU and Ukraine further discussed operational cooperation in countering cybercrime and support to cybercrime investigations, developments related to the EU Cybersecurity Reserve and ongoing cyber capacity building and assistance, including in the context of the Tallinn Mechanism and in light of the expanded mandate of EUAM Ukraine.

The EU and Ukraine also exchanged views on multilateral cyber discussions, including efforts to promote responsible state behaviour in cyberspace within the newly established UN Global Mechanism, as well as broader discussions on cybercrime in the context of international Conventions. Finally, they discussed the role of public-private partnerships and synergies between the EU and Ukrainian cybersecurity industries in strengthening collective cyber resilience and innovation.