EU preparing €10 million support package for Ukraine's independent media

The European Union is preparing a €10 million support package for independent media in Ukraine, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová has announced.

Mathernová said on Ukrainian Radio that supporting independent media is one of the key areas of European assistance.

The ambassador stated that the EU is currently preparing a €10 million support package for independent media in Ukraine for this year, with €7 million to be provided through EU partners. She added that in May, the EU delegation would announce a €3 million competition for two areas.

Mathernová specified that one of these areas will focus on investigative journalism, while the other will support local and regional media.

Recently, funding for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was cut due to US President Donald Trump's decision to reduce the budget of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM).

Earlier, reports emerged about issues at Voice of America, where journalists were suspended, effectively halting the broadcaster’s operations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that 83% of USAID programmes would be scaled back following a six-week review.