Anton Demokhin, Deputy Foreign Minister, Chief Digital Transformation Officer held a meeting with Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss, Managing Director for Peace, Security, and Defence at the European External Action Service (EEAS).

The meeting focused on current issues of cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the field of cybersecurity, strengthening cyber resilience, and joint efforts to counter threats in cyberspace.

The Deputy Minister thanked the EU side for effective cooperation in the field of cybersecurity and emphasized the importance of continued EU support for strengthening Ukraine’s cyber resilience. Anton Demokhin also informed the EEAS Managing Director about Ukraine’s progress in aligning its cybersecurity legislation with EU standards. Special attention was devoted to Ukraine’s aspiration to join the EU Cybersecurity Reserve — a European rapid response mechanism for significant cyber incidents.

In turn, Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss commended Ukraine’s progress in implementing reforms and the pace of transformation on its path toward EU membership. She also highlighted the effectiveness of cooperation within the framework of the Tallinn Mechanism, underlining its key role in coordinating international support for Ukraine in the digital domain.

During the meeting, the Deputy Minister and the EEAS Managing Director agreed on a timeline for the 4th round of the EU–Ukraine Cyber Dialogue.

Both sides welcomed the launch of a consultative dialogue between Ukrainian institutions and the EEAS Hybrid Threats and Cybersecurity Division regarding the use of EU cyber diplomacy tools and the EU cyber sanctions regime. They also agreed to initiate a separate dialogue focused on the EU’s toolkit for countering hybrid threats.

“By supporting the EU’s efforts to shape a global cybersecurity architecture and sharing the belief that cyberspace must not become a tool of authoritarian influence, Ukraine joined the statement by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on malicious cyber activities targeting the Czech Republic,” - stated the Deputy Minister.

In this regard, Anton Demokhin called on the EU to strengthen in the 18th sanctions package restrictive measures against Russia in response to cyberattacks targeting Ukraine’s information systems and critical infrastructure.