Responsible technology and resilience against hybrid threats: UK statement to the 32nd OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum

Ambassador Holland emphasized that responsible governance and multistakeholder cooperation are essential to harness frontier technologies while protecting human rights and public trust. The OSCE must strengthen early warning systems, address hybrid threats, and support Ukraine’s recovery and resilience in the face of Russia’s illegal war. The United Kingdom expressed gratitude to the Swiss Chairpersonship and the OSCE Office of the Co-ordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities for convening the Forum. OSCE mandated meetings remain vital across all three dimensions of regional security, and the UK reiterated disappointment that certain countries have blocked discussions on human rights, democracy, and media freedom.

Rapid technological change presents significant opportunities, including improved early warning, risk identification, and support for humanitarian responses through AI, advanced data analysis, and other frontier technologies. However, these tools can also amplify disinformation, enable hostile activity, and deepen instability if misused or deployed without safeguards. Realizing their benefits requires responsible governance and genuine multistakeholder cooperation among states, international organizations, businesses, academia, and civil society. Technology must serve people, respect human rights, and reinforce public trust, with inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital ecosystems as the foundation.

The UK highlighted that Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine continues to cause severe economic, environmental, and humanitarian damage, including attacks on civilian infrastructure such as energy and water systems. The UK welcomed practical OSCE efforts to assess the war’s environmental consequences, reduce long-term risks, and support Ukraine’s recovery and resilience. The UK reaffirmed its commitment to stand resolutely with Ukraine in addressing these challenges.

The UK also addressed wider hybrid threats, including technology-enabled disinformation, cyber-attacks, sabotage, transnational repression, and foreign interference designed to exploit vulnerabilities and destabilize democracies. In July, the UK adopted the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026, creating new powers to designate and disrupt organizations engaged in foreign power threat activity. The UK and EU issued their first joint cyber sanctions package targeting Russian state, criminal, and proxy networks responsible for cyber-attacks across Europe, following the UK’s largest counter-FIMI sanctions package to date.