Anton Demokhin, Deputy Foreign Minister, Chief Digital Transformation Officer paid a working visit to the French Republic to participate in the 8th Meeting of the Participants of the Tallinn Mechanism, held in Paris on 30–31 October 2025.
The meeting brought together representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection, and the Security Service of Ukraine, alongside delegates from thirteen participating and observer states of the Tallinn Mechanism (TM). Participants welcomed the accession of Norway and Finland as new partner countries, as well as the World Bank as an observer. They reviewed the current cybersecurity situation, summarized the practical outcomes of joint efforts, and assessed progress in the implementation of projects aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s cyber resilience amid ongoing Russian cyber aggression.
International partners commended Ukraine’s resilience in countering cyberattacks and other destructive actions targeting state institutions, critical infrastructure, and civilian facilities. The Ukrainian side presented its strategic and operational priorities in cybersecurity, emphasizing the need to further reinforce the protection of critical infrastructure, ensure long-term sustainability of implemented measures, and enhance the involvement of Ukraine’s private sector in joint and European cyber initiatives.
TM partners reaffirmed their commitment to continued coordination of efforts to bolster the cyber resilience of Ukrainian state institutions and their ability to counter cyber aggression. They confirmed readiness to assist Ukraine in building cybersecurity infrastructure, including the establishment of Security Operations Centres (SOC) within government institutions, while also supporting regional initiatives of local authorities.
A major outcome of the Paris meeting was the announcement of the decision by the participating countries of the Tallinn Mechanism to provide an additional €60.9 million in 2025 to strengthen Ukraine’s civil cyber resilience.
“Ukraine is deeply grateful to all partners of the Tallinn Mechanism for their steadfast solidarity and financial support announced in Paris. Amid intensifying Russian aggression, including in cyberspace, this decision holds particular significance for reinforcing the cyber defence of Ukrainian state institutions, critical and civilian infrastructure, and for safeguarding the digital sovereignty of our nations. The unity and solidarity demonstrated by our partners reflect the collective resolve of democratic countries to consolidate efforts towards achieving a just and lasting peace,” — stressed Deputy Minister Anton Demokhin.
Ukrainian diplomat highlighted the tangible results of the 8th TM meeting, noting in particular the growing engagement of France in projects enhancing Ukraine’s cyber resilience, the Netherlands’ announcement of €10 million in support of the UK-led cyber assistance programme for Ukraine, and the signing of an agreement between the Ternopil Regional Administration and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on financing a project to modernize network and server infrastructure. He also invited international partners to participate in the Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum, scheduled to take place in early 2026.
During his working visit to France, the Deputy Minister held a series of bilateral meetings. Discussions with representatives of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economy, Finance, Industrial and Digital Sovereignty focused on cooperation in digital transformation, cybersecurity, cyber diplomacy, and sanctions policy in the IT sector concerning Russia.
Anton Demokhin expressed gratitude to the French side for its contribution to the Tallinn Mechanism and support for Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery projects. The interlocutors paid particular attention to developing public-private partnerships and to the challenges associated with the introduction of artificial intelligence. Both sides reaffirmed their readiness to deepen cooperation in cybersecurity and digital resilience, and to align national legislation with relevant EU directives and regulations.
The Deputy Minister also met with Mr. Ernst Noorman, Ambassador-at-Large for Cybersecurity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The discussion focused on the Netherlands’ continued support for Ukraine’s efforts to ensure effective cyber defence and digital sovereignty. Anton Demokhin thanked the Dutch government for its decision to allocate funding for the development of Ukraine’s civilian cyber capabilities, as announced during the 8th TM meeting. The assistance will be directed towards projects aimed at strengthening the cyber resilience of public authorities. The sides also agreed on the timing of the first Ukraine–Netherlands Cyber Dialogue, and exchanged views on digitalization, artificial intelligence, bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the cyber domain.
On the margins of the TM meeting, Deputy Minister Demokhin held talks with Jerry Sheehan, Director of the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation, and Anita Richter, Head of the Ukraine Unit of the OECD Global Relations and Cooperation Directorate. The Deputy Minister expressed appreciation to the OECD for its consistent support of Ukraine and its principled stance on the impossibility of cooperation with the Russian aggressor. The discussion focused on cooperation in digital transformation, cybersecurity, digital sovereignty, 5G and satellite connectivity, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies.
The Deputy Minister briefed the OECD representatives on Ukraine’s digital transformation achievements and underlined the country’s interest in deepening integration into the Organization, including by joining OECD instruments and committees in the fields of science, technology, and innovation.