Estonia and Luxembourg have revealed they have raised 500 million euros ($525.4 million) this year to improve Ukraine’s defense-related cyber capabilities.
The Information Technology (IT) Coalition Steering Group, led by the two countries, is a multinational initiative focusing on information, communication, and cyberspace support for Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion.
According to the report published by the Estonian Ministry of Defence, the Baltic government and its co-chair on their own have sent 102.7 million euros ($107.8 million) for the IT coalition effort in 2024, while 410 million euros ($430.5 million) were contributed by individual member states.
A further 72 million euros ($75.6 million) was also collected and used for joint procurement programs, while Estonia itself donated 2.5 million euros ($2.6 million) for associated mobilization systems.
Tallinn noted that areas in which the coalition has focused this year include tactical connectivity, expansion of data centers, and optimization of digital security in Ukraine.
For next year, the Estonian government said it will reiterate its cyber commitment to Ukraine with a 5-million-euro ($5.2 million) contribution.
“Technological support is an essential part of the modern combat capability on the whole, which we are working together to strengthen,” Estonian Defence Policy Undersecretary Tuuli Duneton explained.
“The leadership of the Coalition is based on a long-standing and excellent cooperation with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as Estonia’s role as an advocate of the importance of cyberspace.”
“While the Coalition’s progress over the course of the year has been remarkable, we urged Coalition member states to start thinking today about their 2025 contributions.”
Estonia and Luxembourg’s IT Coalition
The IT Coalition for Ukraine was established in September 2023 in Ramstein, Germany. It currently has 17 member countries, with Canada expected to join soon.
It is part of the larger Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), a 57-country alliance handing out a continuous supply of military and humanitarian aid for the war-torn nation’s defense and recovery.
In May 2024, the IT coalition delivered its first aid to Kyiv of 900,000 euros ($944.9 million) with the help of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency.
The package incorporated “laptops, monitors, and other communication equipment” that were received by the Ukrainian Defence Ministry’s Digital Transformation, Digital Development, and Digitization arm.
