More than half of Ukrainian media outlets may close due to cuts in US support — MP

This was announced by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Mykyta Poturayev, speaking at the First Supplementary OSCE Human Dimension Meeting, where the role of the media in conflicts and humanitarian crises was discussed, Ukrinform reports with reference to the parliament's press service.

“This year, 51 percent of independent Ukrainian media may cease their work. Among them, 51 to 70 percent are regional media, which means that we may lose almost all regional media in Ukraine,” Poturayev noted, commenting on the termination of US grant support for various programs, including Ukrainian media.

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At the same time, the chairman of the parliamentary committee emphasized that Russia and China are not cutting funding for their media and foreign pragmatic media.

According to him, the reduction in funding for Ukrainian and other media outlets is in fact support for Russian propaganda and disinformation.

Poturaev called for the immediate creation of an international fund to support independent media.

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“We need long-term financial mechanisms, not short-term grants. Propaganda does not disappear. And the truth should not disappear either,” the deputy emphasized.

As reported, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on March 10 that the United States is officially closing 83% of programs run by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).