Ukraine to join NATO intel-sharing cyberdefense hub

While Ukraine is yet to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the country has been accepted as a contributing participant to the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE).

CCDCOE is a NATO-accredited cyberdefense hub that member nations use for research, training, and exercises covering several areas, including technology, strategy, operations, and law.

Although this does not make Ukraine a NATO member, it will likely tighten collaboration and allow it to gain access to NATO member nations' cyber-expertise and share its own.

"Ukraine's presence in the Centre will enhance the exchange of cyber expertise, between Ukraine and CCDCOE member nations," said Colonel Jaak Tarien, Director of NATO CCDCOE.

"Ukraine could bring valuable first-hand knowledge of several adversaries within the cyber domain to be used for research, exercises and training,"

Minister of Defence of Estonia Kalle Laanet added that Ukraine "has valuable experience from previous cyber-attacks to provide significant value to the NATO CCDCOE."

#Ukraine to be accepted as a Contributing Participant to #NATO CCDCOE. “Ukraine's presence in the Centre will enhance the exchange of cyber expertise, between Ukraine and @ccdcoe Member Nations, says Col Jaak Tarien, Director of the Center. Read more: https://t.co/PjKiUFJHjj

— NATO CCDCOE (@ccdcoe) March 4, 2022

Ukraine's path to becoming a NATO member

Ukraine's first attempt to join the Alliance was refused at the 2008 Bucharest Summit after strong objections from Russia.

However, NATO pledged that the country would eventually become a member and participate in the Membership Action Plan (MAP), the first step on the path to full membership.

Thirteen years later, NATO re-confirmed during a June 2021 summit that Ukraine will join NATO and become a member of the Alliance after going through the Membership Action Plan "as an integral part of the process."

"Commend NATO partners' understanding of all the risks and challenges we face," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

"NATO leaders confirmed that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance and the MAP is an integral part of the membership process. Ukraine deserves due appreciation of its role in ensuring Euro-Atlantic security."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken revealed during a Friday press availability in Brussels that "every NATO ally is providing either military or humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Most are providing both."