The Tallinn Mechanism Project Office (TMPO) has officially launched in Kyiv. This new office will coordinate cybersecurity and cyber diplomacy projects, aiming to enhance the transparency, coordination, and effectiveness of donor support to strengthen Ukraine’s cyber resilience.
Cyber Defense for Ukraine
Valeriia Ionan, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation for European Integration, highlighted that Ukraine is facing the most technologically advanced war in history, including daily waves of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. She emphasized that international partner support from governments and the private sector is crucial for the country’s digital resilience.
The Tallinn Mechanism, initiated by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, serves as a platform uniting various partner countries in their efforts to combat cyber threats and protect Ukraine’s digital infrastructure. The establishment of the TMPO in Kyiv seeks to bolster coordination among partners and ensure consistent, long-term support for Ukraine’s digital security.
The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine spearheaded the creation of the TMPO. The office will work closely with Ukrainian partners of the Tallinn Mechanism, including the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection (SSSCIP), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), and the National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity (NCCC). This coordinated approach will enable donors to more effectively support cybersecurity projects for TM recipients, which include central and local executive bodies and critical infrastructure state enterprises.
Cybersecurity Diplomacy
Anton Demokhin, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Digital Development, Digital Transformations, and Digitalization, underscored the importance of effective dialogue and practical contributions from all Tallinn Mechanism participants in strengthening Ukraine’s cyber resilience and cybersecurity capabilities. He stated that in wartime conditions, the shared strategic goal is to combine coordinated efforts in cyber diplomacy, relevant state institutions, and the private sector with developing mechanisms that stimulate comprehensive cooperation.
Demokhin believes this approach will accelerate the implementation of priority cybersecurity projects, build cyber resilience capacities, and guarantee digital space security. The opening of the Tallinn Mechanism Project Office in Ukraine marks another step towards achieving these goals.
Key Directions of the Tallinn Mechanism Project Office
One of the TMPO’s primary focuses is supporting the Catalogue, an online platform that streamlines interaction between donors and Ukrainian institutions. Through the Catalogue, recipients submit cybersecurity projects, and international donors select and support the initiatives most relevant to them.
Tanel Sepp, Ambassador-at-Large for Cyber Diplomacy at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Digital and Cyber Diplomacy Department, highlighted the unique nature of the Tallinn Mechanism, which allows donors to pool resources, avoid duplicating efforts, and provide support where it’s genuinely needed. For Estonia, this initiative extends beyond cyber assistance to building a robust digital coalition around Ukraine.
The TMPO will also facilitate the involvement of Ukrainian and international cyber companies in Tallinn Mechanism projects. This will enable private businesses to become part of the TM ecosystem and contribute to specific initiatives, ranging from cyber threat detection and incident response to enhancing the qualifications of Ukrainian cybersecurity specialists.
Uniting Countries for Cyber Defense
Oleksandr Potii, Head of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine, expressed gratitude to partners for their support, emphasizing that each initiative implemented within the project office’s framework is a step towards strengthening Ukraine’s resilience.
The Tallinn Mechanism was established in 2023 as an international response to growing cyber threats and Russian aggression. Its goal is to bolster Ukraine’s protection against cyberattacks by ensuring international support is as effective and coordinated as possible among partner countries.
The TM comprises 11 countries: Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The European Union and NATO hold official observer status. Currently, France and Estonia co-chair the initiative.
Tallinn Mechanism Project Office Initiatives
Dozens of initiatives are already being implemented within the TM framework, including cybersecurity assessments, training programs, and the provision of Starlink terminals to Ukraine, which actively support the country’s digital resilience.
The Tallinn Mechanism and the TMPO exemplify international cooperation, helping Ukraine defend its right to self-defense in cyberspace and adapt to long-term cybersecurity challenges. The TMPO was established with the support of the Estonian Centre for International Development and EU CyberNet.
