The 18th meeting of the National Cybersecurity Cluster was held in Warsaw, Poland, on March 31, 2023, marking the first time the event was held outside of Ukraine and making it an international gathering. The session focused on the topic of “Harmonization of Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Systems to The EU Standards” and brought together prominent players from the Ukrainian industry and representatives from relevant EU institutions and the donor community. The event served as an excellent opportunity to exchange best practices and experiences with European colleagues while also fostering new partnerships.
Distinguished speakers of high rank graced the occasion, and the warm welcome extended by the Polish hosts was genuinely noteworthy. During his introduction speech, Tadeusz Chomicki, Ambassador for Cyber and Tech Affairs Security Policy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, assured Ukraine of Poland’s unwavering support, offering assistance in everything from regulatory harmonization to the provision of critical equipment. Lukasz Gawron, Chairman of the Polish Cybersecurity Cluster #CyberMadeInPoland, expressed his delight at the prospect of Ukraine joining the European digital market.
The session was inaugurated by other notable officials, including Vasyl Zvarych, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Poland, who underscored the need for a unified coalition of nations to confront and repel Russia’s cyber-attacks, and to hold Russia accountable for cyber terrorism against critical infrastructure.
Christopher Smith, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, expressed his confidence in the power of the partnership between Ukraine, the EU, and the United States.
The attendees from Ukraine included representatives of critical infrastructure facilities, key ministries, and agencies responsible for cybersecurity, such as the National Security and Defense Council, the National Cyber Security Coordination Center, the State Service for Special Communications of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The U.S. was represented by the FBI Warsaw Cyber Attaché and CISA, while the EU side at the session represented ENISA.
As the event was held in a hybrid format, participants who could not attend in person could join online and fully engage in the discussions and activities. The event gathered over 300 online participants and 32 in-person attendees.
