Understanding Estonia’s Cyber Support for Ukraine: Building Resilience, Not Status

• Autorzy: Crandall Matthew

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.60097/ACIG/190396

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

This article explores Estonia’s cyber support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in February 2022. Despite its small size, Estonia has significant cyber expertise and has played a pivotal role in safeguarding Ukrainian digital infrastructure and providing cybersecurity support. While Estonian cyber contributions to Ukraine are significant, it initially did not seek or receive international attention. Estonia is typically vocal in promoting its cybersecurity and e-governance expertise. This article aims to first explore the impact of Estonia’s cyber support for Ukraine. Second, it aims to understand why Estonia did not try to use this support to bolster its status as a cyber authority. To do this, Estonia’s cyber support is analysed and put into the proper geopolitical context. Interviews with high-ranking Estonian officials were conducted and an analysis of policy output was performed. This article finds that the importance of cybersecurity assistance is not as critical as military assistance, which is one reason why Estonia has not (yet) used its cyber assistance as a status opportunity. Although cybersecurity support may be considered secondary to military support, the significance of Estonia’s cybersecurity assistance should not be overlooked. Although Estonia did not pursue status initially, there are some signs that this is beginning to change and Estonia is recognised for its cyber expertise.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

cybersecurity; Ukraine; resilience; status

PL

cyberbezpieczeństwo; Ukraina; odporność; status

• Wydawca: NASK – National Research Institute
• Czasopismo: Applied Cybersecurity & Internet Governance
• Rocznik: 2024
• Tom: Vol. 3, No. 1
• Strony: 78--90
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 29 poz.

Twórcy

autor

Crandall Matthew

• School of Governance, Law, and Society, Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia

• https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2588-009X

Bibliografia

• [1] V. Made, “Shining in Brussels? The Eastern partnership in Estonia’s foreign policy,” New Perspectives, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 67–80, 2011.
• [2] Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (May 31, 2023). Estonia’s aid to Ukraine. [Online]. Available: https://vm.ee/en/estonias-aid-ukraine [Accessed: Aug. 20, 2023].
• [3] The Kyiv Independent. (Apr. 24, 2023). Zelensky meets with Estonian prime minister in Zhytomyr Oblast. [Online]. Available: https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-meets-with-estonian-prime-minister-in-zhytomyr-oblast/. [Accessed: Mar. 30, 2024].
• [4] A. Papp-Váry, “A successful example of complex country branding: The ‘e-Estonia’ positioning concept and its relation to the presidency of the council of the EU,” Acta Universitatis Sapientiae, European and Regional Studies, vol. 14, pp. 87–115, 2018, doi: 10.2478/auseur-2018-0013.
• [5] M. Crandall, Anonymous high-ranking Estonian official, personal communication, Tallinn, Dec 28, 2023.
• [6] G. Magnúsdóttir, B. Þórhallsson, “The Nordic States and agenda-setting in the European Union: How do small states score?,” Icelandic Review of Politics and Administration, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 205–225, 2011, doi: 10.13177/irpa.a.2011.7.1.11
• [7] H. Tajfel, J.C. Turner, “An integrative theory of intergroup conflict,”in Monterey, W.G. Austin, S. Worchel, Eds., Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole, 1979, pp. 33–37.
• [8] J.C. Turner, “Towards a cognitive redefinition of the social group,” in Social identity and intergroup relations, H. Tajfel, Ed., Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982, pp. 15–40.
• [9] T.V. Paul, W.D. Larson, W.C. Wohlforth, Status in world politics. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2014.
• [10] I.B. Neumann, B. de Carvalho, Eds. “Introduction: Small states and status,” in Small state status seeking: Norway’s quest for international standing. London: Routledge, 2014, pp. 1–15.
• [11] P. Charoenvattananukul, Ontological security and status-seeking: Thailand’s proactive behaviours during the Second World War. New York, NY: Routledge, 2020.
• [12] R. Pedi, K. Chainoglou, “The Republic of Cyprus in international and regional organizations: Towards a mature small state status seeking strategy?” in The foreign policy of the Republic of Cyprus: Local, regional and international dimensions, Z. Tziarras, Ed. Cham: Springer, 2022, pp. 287–309.
• [13] A. Park, G. Jakstaite-Confortola, “Small state status-seeking: Lithuania’s foreign policy status aspirations,” Europe-Asia Studies, vol. 73, no. 7, pp. 1279–1302, 2021, doi: 10.1080/09668136.2021.1919291.
• [14] R. Pedi, I. Kouskouvelis, “Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean: A small state seeking for status,” in The new eastern Mediterranean, L. Spyridon, A.Tziampiris, Eds., New York, NY: Springer, 2019, pp. 151–167.
• [15] M. Crandall, M.L. Sulg, “Small states and new status opportunities: Estonia’s foreign policy towards Africa,” European Politics and Society, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 250–264, 2021, doi: 10.1080/23745118.2021.1990662.
• [16] B. Thorhallsson, A.M. Eggertsdóttir, “Small states in the UN security council: Austria’s quest to maintain status,” The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 53–81, 2020, doi: 10.1163/1871191X-BJA10017.
• [17] R. Nodapera, Small states in the UN security council: Case of Estonia through two presidencies in May 2020 and June 2021. Master’s thesis, School of Governance, Law and Society, Tallinn University, Tallinn, 2021.
• [18] M. Crandall, I. Varov, “Developing status as a small state: Estonia’s foreign aid strategy,” East European Politics, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 405–425, 2016, doi: 10.1080/21599165.2016.1221817.
• [19] T.H. Ilves. (Dec. 5, 1996). Address by foreign minister Toomas Hendrik Ilves to the Riigikogu. [Online]. Available: https://vm.ee/en/news/address-foreign-ministertoomas-hendrik-ilves-riigikogu [Accessed: Aug. 20, 2023].
• [20] M. Crandall, C. Allan, “Small states and big ideas: Estonia’s battle for cybersecurity norms,” Contemporary Security Policy, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 346–368, 2015, doi: 10.1080/13523260.2015.1061765.
• [21] M. Kimmo, I. Pappel, D. Draheim, “E-residency as a nation branding case,” in Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance, A. Kankanhalli, A. Ojo, D. Soares, Eds., New York, New York, USA, 2018, pp. 419–428.
• [22] L. Mälksoo. (Aug. 8, 2013). The Tallinn manual as an international event. [Online]. Available: https://icds.ee/en/the-tallinn-manual-as-an-internationalevent. [Accessed: Dec. 30, 2023].
• [23] F. Plantera. (2021). The path towards e-Governance in Ukraine. [Online]. Available: https://ega.ee/success_story/path-towards-egovernance-ukraine. [Accessed: Dec. 30, 2023].
• [24] e-Governance Academy. (2023). Digital transformation for Ukraine (DT4UA) projects. [Online]. Available: https://ega.ee/projects/?country=ukraine. [Accessed: Dec. 30, 2023].
• [25] Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (Dec.12, 2023). Tallinn Mechanism. [Online]. Available: https://www.vm.ee/en/international-law-cyber-diplomacy/cyberdiplomacy/tallinn-mechanism [Accessed: Dec. 22, 2023].
• [26] Estonian Ministry of Defence. (Sep. 19, 2023). Estonia, Luxembourg and Ukraine launched an IT coalition to support Ukraine. [Online]. Available: https://www.kaitseministeerium.ee/en/news/estonia-luxembourg-and-ukraine-launched-it-coalition-support-ukraine. [Accessed: Dec. 30, 2023].
• [27] Interfax Ukraine. (Nov. 29, 2023). Umerov to participants of IT coalition: Technology to win war. [Online]. Available: https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/950946.html. [Accessed: Dec. 30, 2023].
• [28] Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (2021). Estonian contribution on the subject of how international law applies to the use of information and communication technologies by states, to be annexed to the group of government experts on advancing responsible state behavior in cyberspace (2019–2021). [Online]. Available: https://www.vm.ee/media/799/download on 30.12.2023. [Accessed: Dec. 30, 2023].
• [29] M. Schulze, M. Kerttunen, “Cyber operations in Russia’s war against Ukraine,” SWP Comment, no. 23, p. 8, Apr 17, 2023, doi: 10.18449/2023C23.

Uwagi

Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MNiSW, umowa nr POPUL/SP/0154/2024/02 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki II" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki (2025).