European governments wonder whether Trump will continue US support for Ukraine and NATO in their conflict with Russia. takes place in cyberspace. Fick's team was instrumental in the work Set up a process for quickly providing cyber defense aid to Ukraine's devastated government.
“I was in Ukraine right before Christmas, I was in Poland, I was in Estonia, almost along the eastern flank of NATO,” he said, adding that he felt “a deep desire to U.S. identity for continued engagement and an acknowledgment that European partners will need to do their part — which they are increasingly doing.”
More broadly, Fick heard “a strong desire among many allies and partners” for the US to continue confronting China and Russia in technology and cyber discussions at international bodies such as United Nations and Group of 20.
“Without the United States being deeply involved, you would see the Chinese more deeply involved, you would see the Russians more deeply involved,” Fick said. “There is a fairly broad view (globally) that the United States needs to continue to participate in multilateral organizations for our own benefit and for the benefit of our allies and partners.”
Fick sympathizes with Republicans who see these multilateral organizations as too slow and timid, but he wants Trump's team to “realize that the alternative is not to reduce the influence of these organizations; The alternative is simply that they become playgrounds for our competitors and adversaries.”
Celebrating the “sea change”
Looking back on his time as America's ambassador—which saw him spend a total of more than 200 days traveling the world with nearly 80 visits to key U.S. allies and partners—Fick is proud of how his team created an entirely new office within the State Department, grew it to about 130 staff and delivered results that he says are transforming digital diplomacy.
One of his greatest achievements was the giving foreign network support fund that thing will support the program deploying security assistance to allies under attack, subsidizing new undersea cables and training foreign diplomats on cyber issues.
The security support project was tested early in November when Costa Rica faced another major ransomware attack. “The next morning, we had people on the plane, Thanksgiving morning, touching keyboards with their Costa Rican partners that night,” Fick said. “How wonderful. It's a major shift in how we do this and it will strengthen our hand in providing support to these middle-market countries.”
Fick also focused on preparing the State Department for the modern world, meeting its goals train at least one tech-savvy diplomat to every foreign embassy (about 237 in total) and successfully lobbied to add digital proficiency to the State Department's criteria for career ambassador positions. He also helped counterbalance the Pentagon in White House discussions on foreign technology issues—bringing “American diplomacy back to the negotiating table in the Situation Room on public topics.” turmeric literally”.
And then there's his team's support of U.S. cyber aid to Ukraine, from security software to satellite communications to cloud migration for critical government data — work that he says provides a template for future public-private foreign aid partnerships.
One final warning
Fick shared his thoughts on China, 5G, AI, deterrence and other cyber issues with Trump's transition team, and he said there is still work to be done to keep cyber diplomacy “in place.” central position” in the State. But as he prepares to leave government, he has important advice for the incoming administration.
“It is necessary to have bias in action,” he said. “We end up admiring a problem for too long instead of taking a decisive step to solve it… That decisive step may not be perfect, but indecision is a decision and the world moves on continue to grow without you.”
In other words: In an age of rapidly evolving technology and increasingly fierce geopolitical competition, large bureaucracies like the State Department sometimes need to take action.
“The job of leaders in these large organizations is to push the organization to change a little faster than it can change itself,” Fick said.