Observer Research Foundation America, in cooperation with Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), hosted a closed-door, in-person expert workshop on ‘Cyber Postures and Dynamics: China, Russia, United States and Europe’ in Washington, DC.

The workshop brought together over 30 technical, legal, diplomatic, academic and military experts from China, Russia, the United States and Europe to better understand their respective cyber postures and dynamics. It built upon, among others, previous ORF America program activities, including U.S. cyber strategy and international engagement and global cyber norms and capacity building. The workshop’s keynote address was given by Dr. Regine Grienberger, Cyber Ambassador at the German Federal Foreign Office.

Led by Dr. Andreas Kuehn of ORF America and Dr. Lora Saalman and Ms. Fei Su of SIPRI, the two-day workshop consisted of six panel discussions that offered participants a greater understanding of current and emerging trends and challenges in cyberspace; evolving cyber postures within China, Russia, the United States and the European Union; and trilateral Chinese–US–Russian interactions and their implications for the EU.

Particular attention was given to identifying new trends, interests and concerns that drive cyber posture formulation; evaluating differences in perceptions and practice of information security/warfare and cyber security/warfare; and suggesting recommendations on current and future approaches to enhance cyber resilience, deterrence and defence.

Findings from this workshop—which is part of a larger SIPRI project funded by the German Federal Foreign Office—will contribute to forthcoming publications, help build knowledge networks on cyber postures and dynamics among US and EU experts, and inform the understanding of and generating recommendations for navigating future escalation, impact thereof, and enhancing global cyber stability, especially concerning the trilateral cyber dynamics among China, Russia and the United States.