NATO and partners examine cyber security strategies in Ukraine

Representatives of Ukraine’s Security Service, National Institute for Strategic Studies, State Special Communications and Information Protection Service, National Security and Defence Council, and Ministry of Defence also attended, as well as stakeholders within the public and private sectors. Delegates agreed that the talks offered a constructive and open forum for discussion.

Participants shared their experience in the development and implementation of cyber security strategies. They also consulted on Ukraine’s National Strategy on Cyber Defence, focusing on how to tackle private-public partnerships in the area of cyber security and protect national critical information infrastructure. Ukraine briefed participants on its efforts to counter cyber threats and initiatives in international cooperation.

Christian Liflander, from the Cyber Defence Section of NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division stressed the importance of information systems to the Alliance and the need for a collective effort to protect them: “NATO relies heavily on its information and computer systems to conduct operations and pass sensitive or classified data. Like many banks, media or political institutions, NATO is experiencing a growing intensity and frequency of cyber attacks.

“At the same time, cyber threats do not recognise international borders and multinational responses are needed,” added Mr Liflander. “Consequently, NATO is interested in dialogue with selected partner countries, such as Ukraine, in order to deal better with this new challenge.”

Volodymyr Porodko, Deputy Chairman of the Security Service of Ukraine outlined the implications of cyber crime. “The relevance of cyber security as a component of national security is driven by the global tendency of unlawful activity being transferred into the virtual realm. This problem does not concern only the interests of the state and society as a whole, but has a direct bearing on every individual,” he said.  

Held under the auspices of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Defence Reform, the event was co-organised by the Security Service of Ukraine, the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine and the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine.