Hauke Klaus Schultz
Title: Georgia’s, Moldova’s, and Ukraine’s cybersecurity engagements with the EU and NATO
Supervisor: Radu Antonio Serrano Iova
Opponent: Iulii Salienko
Defense: 12 January 2024
Abstract: The author of this thesis has scrutinised how Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine cooperate with the EU and NATO in the cybersecurity domain below the threshold of full organisational membership and how that engagement provides them shelter as small states. By drawing from small state literature and utilising framework analysis as the main research methodology, this qualitative comparative case study used both primary as well as secondary sources. The findings indicate that cybersecurity cooperation is accomplished through numerous ways including, exercises, trainings, other educational activities, information sharing, capacity building initiatives and more. Cybersecurity engagements between the two international organisations and the three countries appear to have been significantly strengthened since February 2022, i.e. since the full-scale war against Ukraine started. The study further suggests that as a result of their engagements, the three countries are sheltered in the political, economic as well societal sphere.
Keywords: Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, small states, cybersecurity, international cooperation, shelter theory, EU, NATO, framework analysis
