Estonia, Ukraine Expand Digital Alliance with Focus on AI and Cyber Defense
Ukraine and Estonia have signed a landmark memorandum to expand cooperation in digital transformation and cybersecurity.
The Gaze reports this, referring to an announcement made by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
The agreement was formalized during the Tallinn Digital Summit by Estonia’s Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta and Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation Vitalii Balashov, in the presence of senior officials from both governments.
Ukrainian Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov welcomed the accord, calling Estonia’s support “invaluable – politically, militarily, and digitally.”
He said the partnership underscores the critical role of digital technologies and cybersecurity in defending Ukraine and rebuilding its institutions amid war.
“This memorandum is another step in strengthening our partnership. Digital resilience and secure data systems are essential not only for wartime stability but also for future reconstruction,” Fedorov noted.
Estonia’s Liisa-Ly Pakosta described the agreement as a “concrete plan of action,” not just a declaration of intent. She emphasized that both countries aim to launch joint projects with real-world applications and global potential.
Under the memorandum, Ukraine and Estonia will cooperate on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital public services, focusing on practical innovation and shared expertise.
The initiatives include establishing a joint AI accelerator to pilot and implement artificial intelligence solutions across government systems, and launching an AI sandbox for the safe testing of emerging technologies.
Both sides also plan to develop EdTech projects, including AI-powered tutors and digital learning platforms, and to deliver at least one joint AI proof-of-concept project by the end of 2026.
The partnership extends to joint participation in NATO’s Locked Shields cyber exercises, collaboration on open GovTech tools and training programs for civil servants, as well as the exchange of best practices in data governance and the introduction of post-quantum cryptography to strengthen digital security.
Regular expert meetings, workshops, and demo days will also be held to explore AI applications in cybersecurity and to share intelligence on emerging cyber threats.
Deputy Minister Vitalii Balashov highlighted the synergy between Estonia’s world-leading experience in e-governance and Ukraine’s wartime digital innovations.
“By combining Estonia’s expertise with Ukraine’s innovations born in crisis, we can create technologies that enhance digital resilience across both nations and contribute to a more open and democratic digital world,” Balashov said.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Estonian company Milrem Robotics will supply Ukraine with more than 150 THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles as part of a defense initiative coordinated by the Netherlands to strengthen the capabilities of Ukrainian forces on the front lines.