EU chief diplomat: EU to see what it can do about funding for Radio Liberty

The European Union is not in a position to automatically take over the funding of Radio Liberty but it should examine the situation and see how it can help the project, which is a "beacon of democracy".

According to a correspondent of European Pravda reports, the EU's chief diplomat said  at a press conference after a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels that during the meeting of EU foreign ministers, it was decided to discuss the situation around Radio Liberty and find a way for Europe to help this important for democracy news agency.

"It is sad to hear that the US is withdrawing its funding [for Radio Liberty]. Now, the question for us is, can we come in with our own funding to leave or fill the void that the USA is leaving," said Kaja Kallas.

"The answer to that question is that not automatically, because we have a lot of organisations who are coming with the same request to us,"she added.

The EU's top diplomat said that on 17 March "there was really a push from the foreign ministers to discuss this and find a way".

"So this is the tasking to our side to see what can we do,"  Kallas concluded.

She called Radio Liberty a very valuable "beacon of democracy".

Earlier, the EU, commenting on the decision of Trump’s administration to cut off funding for Radio Liberty and the actual cessation of broadcasting by Voice of America, said that this would play into the hands of common enemies.

The cancellation of funding for Radio Liberty was reportedly linked to US President Donald Trump's decision to cut the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM).

There were also problems at Voice of America, where journalists were suspended from work, which means the broadcaster was effectively shut down.