Ukraine joins NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence
MOSCOW. May 16 (Interfax) - Ukraine has officially become a member of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence (CCDCOE), Ukrainian media said on Tuesday, citing a press release by the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine.
"For our country, it is an opportunity to strengthen international cooperation in the field of cybersecurity and cyber defense, promote experience sharing and also take part in cyber defense exercises and training sessions, joint cybersecurity research together with partners," head of the Ukrainian service Yury Shchigol was quoted as saying by the press release.
The Ukrainian media said, citing the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry that flag of Ukraine has been formally hoisted at the headquarters of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia.
"The flag of Ukraine was formally hoisted at the headquarters of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence in Tallinn today, which signifies Ukraine's official accession to the CCDCOE," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on social media.
Iceland, Ireland and Japan joined the CCDCOE along with Ukraine.
Andrei Davydyuk was appointed the Ukrainian service's representative to the CCDCOE on May 15, 2023. Davydyuk will be stationed at the center on a permanent basis.
As reported, Ukraine's entry to the CCDCOE was initiated by the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine in July 2021.
Several dozen countries are members of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence.
The Tallinn-based CCDCOE was founded in 2008. According to information on the center's website, the mission of the CCDCOE is to support NATO countries "with unique interdisciplinary expertise in the field of cyber defense research, training and exercises covering the focus areas of technology, strategy, operations and law."
All NATO member countries take part in the center's work. The alliance's new member, Finland, is still listed on the organization's website among the "contributing participants" rather than as a "sponsoring nation", like the alliance's other 29 members. Along with Ukraine and Finland, the list of "contributing participants" includes non-NATO countries such as Austria, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, Australia, and Japan.
Ukraine has repeated expressed its desire to join NATO. Estonia has actively supported these ambitions of Ukraine.