Ukraine joins NATO Cyber Centre
Membership passed by unanimous vote
Ukraine has officially joined NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), 14 months after being voted in as a Contributing Participant.
The CCDCOE is a NATO-accredited cyber knowledge hub, research institute and training & exercise facility. Established in 2008, it aims to enhance cyber defence information sharing among NATO members and partners.
The Centre comprises 29 NATO members as Sponsoring Nations and eight non-NATO partners (plus one NATO member, Finland) as Contributing Participants.
Iceland, Ireland and Japan, as well as Ukraine, joined the CCDCOE as Contributing Participants this week, with their flags raised outside the Centre in Tallinn, Estonia.
CCDCOE director Mart Noorma said, "I am very grateful and pleased that Ireland, Iceland, Japan and Ukraine have decided to join our cyber defence community. I'm happy to acknowledge that we've developed a strong network over the past 15 years, where NATO and like-minded countries can share their knowledge and experience in tackling cyber threats."
"I want to extend a warm welcome to the new members of the Centre, all of whom will bring highly valued knowledge with them. I am particularly pleased about Ukraine joining the Centre as it provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the defence of Ukraine in Russia's brutal war and at the same time gain knowledge on the cyber battlefield in order to improve the cyber security of all CCDCOE members," said Estonian minister of defence Hanno Pevkur.
Ukraine's ambassador to Estonia, Mariana Betsa, called the joining "an important event" that "serves an important step on Ukraine's path to NATO."
"In the light of Russia's continuous military aggression and hybrid war, Ukraine joining CCDCOE further strengthens our state's cyber capability. I want to thank the CCDCOE sponsor states for inviting Ukraine to join. I also extend my special gratitude to the Republic of Estonia as the hosting state for their support and assistance on our path to NATO CCDCOE," she added.