Seven European Union countries support the Czech Republicʼs initiative, which involves the bloc taking over funding for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) after the US cuts support for the media.
This is reported by Politico, citing sources.
An unnamed diplomat said that Prague, where Radio Liberty is headquartered, raised the issue during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on March 17.
European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas stressed that the bloc cannot “automatically replace the United States”. According to her, allies have begun discussing options to somehow intervene in the situation. The Czech idea was supported, in particular, by Germany, the Nordic countries and the Baltic states, writes Politico.
The publication adds that many call Radio Liberty a "crucial source of information" in places where democratic rights are violated or under threat.
- The other day, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) President and CEO Steven Kapus announced that the media outlet has canceled a federal grant agreement that funded its global operations.
- The US cut funding after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 14 directing the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and six other little-known agencies to reduce their operations to the minimum required by law, saying it was necessary to reduce bureaucracy.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.