Paige Henley
Updated on: March 20, 2025
Ukraine and the European Union have taken a significant step toward deeper cybersecurity collaboration as Russian cyber and hybrid attacks continue to escalate. A memorandum of understanding was signed at the Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum, aiming to enhance joint research, innovation, and EU-funded cybersecurity initiatives.
“We expect that we will be able to involve Ukrainian businesses in these support programs, enabling them to interact more effectively with European businesses and develop together,” said Serhii Prokopenko, deputy head of cybersecurity at Ukraine’s Security and Defense Council.
While Ukraine is not an EU member and faces restrictions on participation, officials hope the agreement will pave the way for closer integration. The European Cybersecurity Competence Center (ECCC), which oversees billions in EU funding through the Digital Europe and Horizon Europe programs, will play a key role in this collaboration. Prokopenko confirmed that he met with ECCC Director Luca Tagliaretti to plan future coordination.
“The memorandum serves as a framework agreement enabling both sides to begin practical cooperation,” Prokopenko said.
The move comes as Russian cyber operations grow increasingly aggressive.
“We see an increased Russian risk appetite — and when I say risk, I mean not risk to them; risk to us, risk to our economies, to the safety of our citizens,” NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General James Appathurai warned.
Ukraine is also aligning its cybersecurity laws with EU standards, particularly the NIS 2 Directive, which regulates cybersecurity across Europe. Prokopenko acknowledged the challenge, calling it “a complex law,” but emphasized that European partners are helping Ukraine properly interpret and implement it.
In addition, Ukraine is working to establish cyber troops within its armed forces to defend critical infrastructure and conduct cyber operations.
“Everything already exists, but we need legal status,” Prokopenko said, highlighting that cyber troops would play both defensive and offensive roles in Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia.
