Sanctions are not enough: Ukraine needs immediate cybersecurity support

Ahead of the special meeting of the European Council this evening, DIGITALEUROPE and eleven ICT associations from Central and Eastern Europe issued the following statement: 

“We, representing 36,000 digitalising companies in Europe, from green tech to healthcare and cyber security providers, express our full solidarity with the people of Ukraine in the face of the current Russian aggression. 

We fully support measures the EU and its allies are taking to avoid further bloodshed. But sanctions are not enough. 

Technology plays an essential role in modern security policy. For years Ukraine has been subject to cyber warfare, weakening its critical infrastructure and the functioning of its society, and sowing confusion through misinformation.  

We must stand together now and build up the common resilience of European society. Ukraine has been a booming ICT hub for the last two decades, but no country can respond to this type of aggression alone. Together with NATO, EU leaders can support Ukraine by providing immediate cybersecurity support. 

The EU must also use today as a wake-up call to build up our digital shield: to train more cybersecurity specialists, and to invest heavily in our cyber defences. There are no more excuses – all people are needed on deck. Europe lacks 200,000 cybersecurity specialists. 

We must accelerate the work towards a Cybersecurity Competence Centre in Bucharest, Romania, give it much more resources, and make it a real hub of national cyber security agencies. 

Leaders should also consider fast-tracking all visa applications for those fleeing Ukraine – they all deserve our support. 

And finally, the conflict shows once again the importance of the transatlantic partnership. The EU-US Trade and Technology Council is a unique opportunity to discuss short- and long-term measures to make our societies digitally secure and keep us safe from future aggression online and offline.”