Potential cybersecurity rapprochement between France and Lithuania

On December 1, 2023, the embassy of Lithuania held a forum on cybersecurity in France and Lithuania at the Campus Cyber in La Défense (Paris business district). The event aimed to explore the cyber ecosystems of the two countries, in the presence of a great number of private and State actors, in order to facilitate partnerships.

Lithuania is establishing itself as a leader in the digital realm. Indeed, the country’s national cybersecurity index ranks it second in the world. Its Deputy National Defense Minister in charge of cybersecurity, Greta Monika Tučkutė, also called for a strategic rapprochement between her country and France.

“We know the Russian threat very well. Lithuania could provide French authorities in charge of cybersecurity with operational advice, share best practices, information on cyber threats and ways to counter them,” she pointed out.

The Deputy Minister thus suggested that France take part in Lithuania’s regional cyber defense center. The initiative, led jointly by her country and the United States, has already welcomed researchers from Ukraine, Georgia and Poland.

Greta Monika Tučkutė deems it would also be “interesting for France to become a member of the cybercrime rapid response force within PESCO [European Union’s Permanent Structured Cooperation, editor’s note], led by Lithuania.” For now, France is only an observer. Beyond Lithuania, the unit includes Croatia, Estonia, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania.