«In Defense of Democracy»: Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine opened the Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum 2025

Modern information and cyber technologies open up limitless opportunities, but at the same time, they create complex challenges and threats. This was emphasized by the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksandr Lytvynenko, on Tuesday, March 11, as he opened the Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum 2025, titled «In Defense of Democracy.»

Good afternoon, esteemed colleagues!

Thank you for the invitation.

I am pleased to be present at this highly esteemed professional gathering. Taking this opportunity, I would like to focus on a few key points that seem to be of particular importance for today’s discussion.

Modern technologies are transforming the world, particularly information technologies. They create numerous opportunities while also posing complex challenges and, at times, dangerous threats of both a global and local nature.

This is especially true for the rapid development and large-scale use of cyber technologies. Today, mastery of these technologies is a key indicator of power, the ability to protect oneself, and securing a rightful place under the sun.

The breakthrough of recent years is artificial intelligence, particularly large linguistic models. Undisputed leadership in this area belongs to companies from the United States and China.

At the same time, European countries, unfortunately, are significantly lagging behind in this field. This lag could create substantial problems for the economic development and security of EU member states in the near future.

Therefore, the priority task is to do everything possible to bridge the existing gap. To achieve this, it is essential to first recognize the problem, simplify regulations, and support startups. I hope that today’s discussion will bring forward rational proposals.

The second issue is cybersecurity.

The course of the large-scale Russian invasion has once again proven the importance of confrontation in cyberspace. We all remember well that the Russian military offensive was preceded by large-scale cyberattacks.

I would like to emphasize that the Russians approach the situation systematically, using cyber tools in conjunction with kinetic means of influence: bombs, missiles, and Shahed.

We must treat this with no less responsibility and creativity.

I emphasize the critical importance of cyber resilience, the ability of information systems to function in complex and extremely difficult security conditions, their ability to restore resources in conditions of resource limitations and enemy resistance.

War is a tragedy, but it provides invaluable experience for which the highest price has been paid — the price of human lives. We must learn from and make use of this experience.

We must always remember that the resilience of critical information infrastructure is an integral part of the security and resilience of a state’s critical infrastructure. Strengthening it is not only the responsibility of the state but also of society. A special role here belongs to public-private partnerships.

Cyberspace is fundamentally international. And ensuring security within it is impossible without international cooperation and partnerships.

I wish everyone present a productive professional discussion and the development of practical recommendations.

Thank you for your attention.

Link to the photo

For reference:

The Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum (KICRF) was initiated in 2023 by the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. The forum is supported by the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Organizational support and management of the Forum are provided by the Institute for Cyberwarfare Research (ICWR) and Cyber Unit Technologies.

The two-day program of this year’s forum includes panel discussions and expert presentations from various sectors, addressing issues of cyber resilience. Representatives of leading global and Ukrainian companies will share practical cases and experiences gained during the war.

The discussions include global technology corporations such as (Google, Fortinet, Crowdstrike, Cloudflare, ESET, Thales and CISCO), as well as leading Ukrainian cyber companies like (CyberLab, Cyber Unit technologies, UnderDefense, ISSP, GigaCloud, iIT Distribution, Hideeze, Molfar, Amonsul та Osavul).

Key topics for discussion include:

• Cyber operations in modern military conflicts;
• Emerging technologies: risks and opportunities;
• Hybrid threats and external information manipulation and interference (FIMI);
• Global deterrence: the need for change;
• Partnerships during war;
• Innovations and solutions for strengthening cyber resilience;
• Threats and challenges related to artificial intelligence;
• Public-private partnerships in cybersecurity.

For more up-to-date information on the Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum 2025, visit the website: cyberforumkyiv.org