EU launches three new initiatives worth €6.6 million to strengthen independent media in Ukraine

On 9 October, at the opening of the Donbas Media Forum in Kyiv, the European Union announced three new projects worth a total of €6.6 million to bolster Ukraine’s independent media sector.

Building on over €110 million in EU support for Ukrainian media since 2017 (including €57.5 million provided since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 ) these initiatives aim to help journalists continue their vital work in informing citizens, exposing corruption, and documenting the truth about Russia’s war of aggression. The new initiatives will address the urgent needs of media professionals working under wartime conditions, enhance their safety and resilience, and support Ukraine’s ongoing path toward EU integration.

“Through these three new projects, the European Union stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine’s independent media. 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 three projects are:

• ‘Frontline and Investigative Reporting Media in Ukraine’ (€3 million), implemented by Internews International and the Media Development Foundation. The project will provide core grants to 40 frontline media outlets, tailored mentorship and training for 20 others, and institutional support for investigative reporting teams exposing corruption and Russian war crimes.
• ‘Strengthening the Sustainability of an Independent, Free and Pluralist Media Ecosystem in Ukraine’ (€2 million), led by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). This initiative will deliver emergency support and protective equipment to 400 journalists, promote media sustainability through the Journalism Trust Initiative and the International Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukrainian Media (IFRUM), and advocate for media inclusion in Ukraine’s recovery agenda.
• ‘Empowering Ukrainian Media for a Sustainable Future’ (€1.65 million), coordinated by the Institute for Mass Information and Detector Media. It will strengthen regional and local media, counter disinformation, and provide legal, safety, and professional support to over 500 journalists through 15 newly established regional media hubs.

The 10th Donbas Media Forum, taking place in Kyiv on 9 and 10 October, gathered nearly 700 participants.

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Press release