EU and Ukraine Deepen Cooperation on Cyber Security at 5th Cyber Dialogue

The 5th Cyber Dialogue between the European Union and Ukraine was held on October 9 in Brussels. The exchanges highlighted the importance and depth of the cyber partnership between the EU and Ukraine, which spans from operational cyber security cooperation to adaptation to EU norms and policies, cyber defense, and diplomacy, including sanctions. The dialogue was held in light of Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine, the increasingly complex cyber threat landscape, and Ukraine’s ongoing EU accession process, which confirmed the EU’s and Ukraine’s shared will to further strengthen their cooperation and jointly handle ongoing and changing cyber threats.

The participants exchanged information on the cyber threat landscape and made a status report on the latest developments in cyber security policy. These discussions showed the shared understanding between the EU and Ukraine on a wide range of cyber-related issues. The EU and Ukraine exchanged views on the implementation of relevant reforms and Ukraine’s approach to key pillars of the EU’s legal framework, such as the NIS2 directive and the regulation on cyber resilience.

The dialogue also addressed operational cooperation, cyber crisis management, and cyber defense, as well as the use of the cyber diplomatic toolbox as part of the broader response to malicious cyber activities. The EU and Ukraine discussed further operational cooperation on combating cybercrime and support for the investigation of cybercrime, the development related to the EU’s cyber security reserve, and ongoing cyber capacity building and support, including within the framework of the Tallinn process and in light of EUAM Ukraine’s expanded mandate.