NATO Deputy Secretary General: We Must Be Big On Cyber Defence Ambitions

Speaking at NATO’s 2024 Cyber Defence Pledge Conference in the Hague last week, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană said that Allies “must be big on ambition” on cyber defence and called for “a new mindset” to strengthen our resilience against cyber threats. 

“Our adversaries are increasingly defying international norms and using cyber and hybrid operations against us” Mr Geoană said, stressing that “there is no peace in cyberspace”. The Cyber Defence Pledge, established in 2016, is helping boost Allies’ cyber defences. It is also helping to strengthen national networks and infrastructures, and enhance NATO’s collective resilience to cyber threats. Following the 2023 Vilnius Summit, Allies have taken further steps to develop a cyber ‘maturity model’ to help focus their resources more efficiently.

Looking ahead, NATO’s Deputy Secretary General stressed the importance of strengthening civil-military cooperation at all times, including through closer cooperation with the tech industry. He indicated that this will be a focus of the upcoming Washington Summit. He welcomed the participation, for the first time, of eighteen NATO partner countries in the Cyber Defence Pledge Conference. “Cyber is something that our partners most request from Allies,” the Deputy Secretary General said. “I encourage all Allies to be open to these requests, and help all of us become stronger and more resilient in cyberspace”.

The Netherlands and Romania co-hosted NATO’s 2024 Cyber Defence Pledge Conference. Following his address, the Deputy Secretary General met with the Dutch Minister of Defence, Kasja Ollongren, and with students from Leiden University to discuss NATO’s agenda for the Washington Summit.