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The European Union is initiating three new projects amounting to a total of €6.6 million aimed at bolstering independent media in Ukraine.

This announcement was made by the EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Matersona, during the Donbas Media Forum on October 9, as reported on the EU Delegation's website in Ukraine.

The new initiatives will focus on:

• addressing the urgent needs of media professionals operating in wartime conditions,
• enhancing their safety and resilience,
• as well as supporting Ukraine's path towards EU integration.

“Our goal is to enhance Ukraine's capacity to provide reliable and essential information, ensure accountability of authorities, and document the truth about Russia's aggressive war and its crimes,” the ambassador stated.

Projects receiving EU funding include:

• €3 million allocated for the “Frontline and Investigative Media in Ukraine” project, implemented by Internews International and the Media Development Foundation. This project will provide grants for the core activities of 40 frontline media outlets, specialized mentorship and training for 20 others, and institutional support for investigative journalist teams exposing corruption and war crimes committed by Russia.
• €2 million designated for the project “Strengthening the Resilience of an Independent, Free, and Pluralistic Media Ecosystem in Ukraine,” led by the organization “Reporters Without Borders.” This initiative plans to offer emergency support and protective equipment to 400 journalists, promote sustainable media development through the “Trust in Journalism” initiative (JTI) and the International Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukrainian Media (IFRUM), and advocate for the inclusion of media in Ukraine's recovery agenda.
• €1.65 million will be allocated to the project “Empowering Ukrainian Media for a Sustainable Future,” coordinated by the Institute of Mass Information and “Detector Media.” This project aims to strengthen regional and local media, combat misinformation, and provide legal, security, and professional support to over 500 journalists through 15 newly established regional media centers.

Since 2017, the EU has allocated over €110 million to support Ukrainian media, including €57.5 million provided since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.