On 6 June, on the occasion of the Journalist’s Day, the Institute of Mass Information and Reporters Without Borders, with support from the EU Delegation to Ukraine, held a public discussion in Kyiv on ‘Media as a pillar of democracy: shaping the future of Ukraine’.

Around 200 journalists, experts, civil society activists, government officials, MPs, diplomats and international organisations representatives took part in the event.

They discussed the role of the media in ensuring Ukraine’s democratic development, respect for rights and freedoms, and the challenges faced by the Ukrainian media in times of war.

Speaking at the event, Rémi Duflot from the EU Delegation to Ukraine highlighted the challenges that Ukrainian journalists face in a country at war and reforming at the same time.

“Since the beginning of the large-scale Russian war, many of them have had to fight or put on a helmet and bulletproof vest with the PRESS label, take over the work of colleagues who went to the battlefront, join volunteering, and restart newsrooms in the de-occupied territories or in places of relocation. Nevertheless, they continue to work with courage and inspiration, remaining committed to the criteria of truth, democracy and freedom of speech, debunking Russian disinformation and propaganda. During this time, Ukraine has risen 18 positions in the Reporters Without Borders index and achieved good results in terms of trust among the world’s media. This is a worthy result of your hard work,” said Rémi Duflot.

Oksana Romaniuk, Director of the Ukrainian Institute of Mass Information, confirmed that Ukrainian journalists are working in a high-risk environment: “According to the Institute of Mass Information, 81 journalists have been killed since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, at least 10 of whom were killed on the job. Hundreds of media outlets have disappeared, and thousands of our colleagues have suffered from various threats related to Russian aggression. At least 30 Ukrainian journalists are currently being held hostage by Russia,” Oksana Romaniuk said.

According to the latest report by the Mass Media Institute, 599 offences, including murder, direct physical threats, shelling, digital attacks, etc., have been committed against Ukrainian journalists since the beginning of Russia’s large-scale war. 

The Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine supported the event as part of its All-Ukrainian communication campaign on the European Union’s support for civil society and independent media ‘Together We Act. Together We Are Europe’, which runs from May to July 2024 across Ukraine.

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Press release

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