EU Unveils €6.6 Million Initiative to Strengthen Independent Media in Ukraine
The European Union has announced a new €6.6 million package to bolster Ukraine’s independent media sector, launching three major initiatives aimed at supporting journalists, investigative reporting, and media resilience amid Russia’s ongoing war of aggression.
The Gaze reports this, referring to a statement made by the EU Delegation to Ukraine.
The projects, unveiled at the Donbas Media Forum in Kyiv, are designed to help Ukrainian media outlets continue informing the public, exposing corruption, and documenting war crimes despite mounting risks.
“Our aim is to reinforce Ukraine’s ability to provide trusted, essential information, ensure public accountability, and document the truth about Russia’s war of aggression and its crimes,” said EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová. “The EU’s support is unwavering and rooted in our common vision for a transparent and democratic Ukraine.”
The first initiative, worth €3 million, will be implemented by Internews International and the Media Development Foundation.
It will provide core grants to 40 media outlets reporting from front-line areas, offer mentoring and training programs, and strengthen investigative journalism teams that expose corruption and Russian war crimes.
A second project, led by Reporters Without Borders with €2 million in EU funding, will focus on protecting journalists and ensuring media continuity.
The program will deliver emergency assistance and protective equipment to 400 reporters, promote media trust and recovery through the Journalism Trust Initiative and the International Fund for the Reinforcement of Ukrainian Media (IFRUM), and advocate for the inclusion of independent media in Ukraine’s national recovery framework.
The third initiative, “Empowering Ukrainian Media for a Sustainable Future,” coordinated by the Institute of Mass Information and Detector Media, has received €1.6 million.
This will strengthen regional and local media outlets, counter disinformation, and provide legal, safety, and professional support to more than 500 journalists through a network of 15 regional media hubs.
As The Gaze previously reported, the European Union announced a new €7 million package to support four major cultural projects in Ukraine as part of its flagship “Creative Europe” program.