Today, Administrator Samantha Power hosted a roundtable of journalists and media experts in Ukraine to hear directly about their experiences as tensions continue to escalate on the border.
Administrator Power thanked the participants for their commitment to providing fact-based news and information to the Ukrainian people amidst a fog of Russian disinformation, and noted their bravery in continuing to report and prepare their teams in an increasingly tense environment. The journalists shared their concern that Russian aggression may lead to a loss of internet or electricity, limiting their ability to continue their operations, as well as the ways they are preparing for such contingencies. They also shared how the Kremlin has ramped up and sustained its disinformation offensive in Ukraine in recent months, using Russian state-owned broadcasters, inauthentic websites, trolls, and social media platforms to inaccurately portray the West or Ukraine as an aggressor and to undermine the independence of the Ukrainian state.
The participants discussed how civil society, journalists, government institutions, and the international community can work together to bolster independent journalism, and safeguard an informed Ukrainian public. The Administrator reaffirmed ongoing support from the U.S. government for the people of Ukraine, and reiterated USAID’s commitment to partnering and supporting independent media in Ukraine.
