MERIT Forum participants explore how Ukraine’s media landscape might change after EU accession

As part of the MERIT Forum programme, each cohort concludes its work by developing a practical, collaborative project that transforms professional exchange and shared learning into concrete proposals for strengthening the media environment.

The second Ukrainian group chose a topic whose relevance is only expected to grow in the coming years: how Ukraine’s media industry may change as the country moves closer to the European Union, how media actors can prepare for these changes in advance and what new realities may emerge after Ukraine becomes an EU member state.

Participants are examining European approaches to media and digital regulation, self-regulation, journalist protection, online platforms, information integrity, artificial intelligence and the conditions required for independent, inclusive and financially sustainable media to thrive.

Space for reflection and focused collaboration

Before meeting in the Carpathians, the group had already identified key areas of work, distributed thematic responsibilities and begun gathering evidence and developing expert analysis. The workshop provided an opportunity to bring these efforts together into a single document, test initial assumptions and explore the topic from new perspectives.

Working side by side, away from everyday professional routines, helped participants align their vision, revisit findings and hypotheses, agree on the structure of the document and clarify responsibilities and next steps.

For participants from Kyiv, Mykolaiv and other cities regularly affected by Russian attacks, the retreat also offered a rare opportunity to work in a calmer environment, without constant disruptions caused by air raid alerts and shelling.

“Sleeping in a bed rather than a shelter, breathing fresh air and spending time in nature improved not only our psychological wellbeing but also our ability to think creatively. In a stable and peaceful environment, ideas came much more easily,” said Ruslana Brianska, Executive Director of Hromadske Radio.

What European digital regulation could mean for Ukrainian media

Part of the workshop programme focused on EU digital regulation and its practical implications for Ukrainian media organisations.

Kristina Rud, IMS Public Interest Tech Adviser, facilitated a presentation and simulation exercise that explored the rights, responsibilities and opportunities emerging from European rules governing digital platforms.

Participants worked through practical scenarios involving content moderation and removal, appeals mechanisms, demonetisation, online advertising transparency, access to platform data, coordinated attacks against media and the responsibilities of media organisations themselves. The exercise enabled the group not only to discuss European regulatory frameworks at a conceptual level, but also to examine how they may affect the day-to-day work of newsrooms.

These discussions formed part of a broader objective: identifying the knowledge, internal procedures, professional standards and institutional capacities that Ukrainian media should begin developing well before the country joins the European Union.

Trust as professional infrastructure

Participants identified trust, coordination and alignment of actions, standards and expectations as essential conditions for the future transformation of Ukraine’s media sector.

For this reason, the workshop combined analytical work with sessions focused on teamwork, mental resilience and distributed leadership. The exercises were facilitated by Andrii Sydorenko, founder of the Brain-Cult Centre.

Participants reflected on their own approaches to recovery and resilience in difficult circumstances, shared personal experiences and completed practical exercises centred on trust, coordination and collective decision-making under conditions of uncertainty and limited information.

Such activities were particularly relevant for media professionals who often work independently or hold leadership positions within their organisations. The exercises demonstrated that strong leaders do not only take responsibility themselves but are also able to share it, listen to others, adjust their own approaches and move collectively towards a common goal.

Throughout the sessions, participants adapted quickly to changing conditions, took initiative, built communication channels and worked together to solve problems. The experience served as a practical reminder that trust and alignment are not abstract concepts. They directly influence the ability of different organisations and institutions to act in a coordinated way for the benefit of the wider media ecosystem.

Oleh Dereniuha of MykVisti said the workshop had transformed the way participants interacted with one another.

“Online, we see each other as small squares in Zoom and often communicate in a very formal way. Coming together, sitting around the same table, debating ideas, walking in the mountains and sharing informal conversations is something entirely different. The Carpathians gave us three days free from daily operational work, and it became clear that thinking happens much better in that environment.”

According to him, the workshop helped participants move beyond being individual partners and become a team with a shared understanding of the future.

“We agreed on the essentials: what we are doing together, who is responsible for what and how we will present the project going forward. Conversations that might have taken weeks through emails and chat messages were resolved in a single evening in the mountains. It was a reminder that the best ideas are often born outside formal meetings.”

Oleksandr Obodovych of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine described the workshop as an opportunity for collaborative work in what he called a state of “peaceful isolation” from everyday routines. In his view, it helped the group structure responsibilities, plan the next stages of work and strengthen trust and professional synergy within the team.

From an expert document to a broader professional discussion

The workshop also marked the beginning of preparations for the next phase of the programme. Gohar Khodjayan, IMS Ukraine Programme Lead, presented an overview of Denmark’s political, social and media landscape. Participants identified key stakeholders and organisations whose experience could help inform the further development of the Change Project.

The work of the second Ukrainian MERIT Forum group began with a kick-off meeting in Kyiv on 22 January 2026. In April, participants travelled to Brussels, where they met with representatives of European institutions and professional organisations. The programme also includes an expert exchange visit to Copenhagen, team workshops throughout the year and a final presentation of the group’s work in Ukraine.

The first version of the Change Project is expected to be presented at Donbas Media Forum in Kyiv on 8–10 October. Feedback from a broader professional audience will help test the group’s findings, introduce additional perspectives and assess the practical relevance of the proposed recommendations for Ukrainian media organisations.

Following this consultation phase, participants will continue refining the document based on comments and recommendations received.

By the end of the programme, the group aims to deliver a multi-stakeholder document combining analysis of anticipated changes with practical recommendations for media organisations, professional associations, public institutions, regulators and other actors within the media ecosystem.

The Change Project is not intended as a definitive forecast. Instead, it is designed as a practical roadmap that helps Ukrainian media ask the right questions, assess their preparedness and plan for the transformations that may accompany Ukraine’s future membership of the European Union.

“The European integration of Ukrainian media will not begin on the day Ukraine joins the EU. It is already underway through changes in legislation, professional standards, platform governance and approaches to responsibility and transparency. The purpose of MERIT Forum is to help the professional community analyse these developments in advance, prepare for them and jointly develop practical solutions. The retreat in the Carpathians demonstrated how essential trust, open discussion and the ability of different leaders to work as one team are to that process,” said Roman Kifliuk, IMS National Adviser in Ukraine and Coordinator of MERIT Forum Ukraine.

MERIT Forum: knowledge exchange and practical change

MERIT Forum is a professional platform established by IMS to facilitate exchange and learning on media legislation, regulation, self-regulation, information integrity and democratic resilience. The programme brings together media professionals, lawyers, regulators, public institutions, civil society representatives and members of the academic and research communities.

MERIT Forum is implemented under the IMS programme REACH: Media Partnerships for Accountability and Trust, funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its purpose is to connect professional learning with practical action. Participants explore Ukrainian and European experiences, engage with international experts and transform the results of these exchanges into concrete initiatives aimed at strengthening the media environment.

The first Ukrainian MERIT Forum cohort began its work in 2025. Its final output consisted of recommendations on information resilience during times of crisis, drawing on Ukraine’s experience between 2022 and 2025. The document addressed coordination among media, public institutions, civil society and international partners in the face of war, disinformation and hybrid threats.

MERIT Forum also includes participants from Armenia and engages a range of European and Nordic organisations in professional discussions, peer exchange and the development of long-term dialogue among media professionals from different countries.

About IMS’ Ukraine programme

In Ukraine, IMS focuses not only on responding to immediate needs and supporting individual media projects, but also on strengthening the media ecosystem as a whole. This includes support for investigative journalism, public service media, local newsrooms, audience research, information resilience and preparations for the democratic and institutional transformations linked to Ukraine’s European future.