Ukraine joins the EU Cybersecurity Reserve following approval by the Council of the European Union, allowing the country to access emergency cybersecurity assistance during major cyberattacks that exceed national response capabilities. The decision allows Ukraine to activate support from the EU Cybersecurity Reserve, a mechanism managed by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), which provides incident response services through trusted private sector cybersecurity providers.
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This move reflects the ongoing EU-Ukraine cooperation on digital security and resilience amid evolving cyber threats. Ukraine's inclusion in the EU Cybersecurity Reserve comes under the EU Cybersecurity Solidarity Framework.
The EU Cybersecurity Reserve was established under the Cybersecurity Solidarity Act to help participating countries respond to major cybersecurity incidents. Through the reserve, states can request specialized assistance when their own incident response capabilities are overwhelmed. According to the European Commission, Ukraine will now be able to formally request European emergency support if a cyberattack exceeds the capacity of its domestic response teams.
This will allow cybersecurity experts from across the European Union to help with incident containment and recovery efforts. The Commission described the decision as part of broader efforts to strengthen preparedness, improve rapid response capabilities and encourage cooperation against growing cyber threats. Commenting on the development, Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for TechSovereignty, Security and Democracy, said that Ukraine’s membership strengthens collective cyber defences and reflects the principle of solidarity that is at the core of Europe’s digital future.
The Commission noted that cyberattacks continue to be a persistent challenge and stressed the importance of coordinated responses and shared expertise among partner countries.
Ukraine’s accession is also in line with the EU’s strategic digital cooperation agenda, which focuses on strengthening cybersecurity cooperation with neighbouring countries. Ukraine becomes the second non-EU country to gain access to the reserve. Moldova gained access in 2024 following an increase in cybersecurity threats and Moscow-linked influence operations targeting the country.
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The Council's authorisation for Moldova to use the reserve was described as an important step forward in cybersecurity cooperation in the region. The arrangement was implemented under the Cybersecurity Solidarity Act and was part of broader EU-Moldova efforts to improve digital resilience. The European Commission said that strengthening cybersecurity cooperation remains a key component of its cooperation with Moldova.
Alongside cybersecurity initiatives, the European Union has expanded digital cooperation with Moldova in various strategic areas.
The Commission welcomed a political agreement that will allow Moldova to join the EU Roaming Area under the “Roam like at home” scheme once it is formally adopted. Once implemented, Moldovan citizens and EU travellers will be able to call, text and use mobile data without additional roaming charges. Moldova has also been added to the EU's Trusted List of Third Countries, allowing for easier validation of electronic signatures and seals between EU and Moldovan organisations, businesses and citizens.
To strengthen resilience against disinformation and foreign interference, a new European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) hub known as FACT has also been created with the support of the European Commission. The cybersecurity announcement comes shortly after EU member states decided to start formal accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyendescribed the decision as an important milestone, saying that all member states had agreed to open the first set of accession negotiations with the two countries. She said the move recognised the reforms that Ukraine and Moldova had undertaken despite significant challenges and reinforced the EU's commitment to peace, security and stability across the region.
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With access to the EU Cybersecurity Reserve, Ukraine now gains an additional level of support to strengthen its cyber resilience and coordinate responses to major cybersecurity incidents together with its European partners.
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