MERIT Forum participants in Brussels (Photo: IMS).

From experience to impact: MERIT Forum 2026 brings Ukrainian and Armenian media experts into a new round of dialogue with EU decision makers

In April 2026, the MERIT Forum brought together Ukrainian and Armenian media experts in Brussels for a dialogue with EU institutions and an exchange of expertise on the development of regional media systems amid global challenges. Discussions focused on the realities and specific characteristics of the media environments in the participating countries, the opportunities and capacity to apply European Union approaches in Ukraine and Armenia, as well as lessons and experiences from these countries that are relevant for the EU itself.

05 May. 2026
News

The exchanges formed part of a broader search for solutions for media leaders on how the right to access high‑quality, reliable information can be safeguarded in the context of ongoing geopolitical change.

The Brussels visit continued a long‑term professional exchange format initiated by the IMS team in 2024, aimed at strengthening the resilience of democratic institutions and journalism in particular – sectors increasingly exposed to sustained and intensive pressure from authoritarian actors.

As part of MERIT Forum 2026, expert groups from Ukraine and Armenia met with a range of European institutions and organisations to discuss key issues, challenges and response options shaping today’s media landscape.

Foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI)

Foreign information manipulation is no longer viewed as a purely communications issue; across Europe it is increasingly recognised as a security challenge. Accordingly, MERIT Forum participants engaged with institutions operating at the intersection of strategic communications, security and policymaking, including:

European External Action Service (EEAS) StratCom.
European Parliament teams working on information integrity.
Council of the EU advisers with portfolios covering Ukraine and Armenia.

For Ukraine (a central FIMI case within Europe) and Armenia (situated at the crossroads of multiple external influence vectors), these discussions enabled participants to convey practical, experience‑based insights into the real‑world impacts of disinformation.

“In autumn 2025, we held a series of meetings in Copenhagen to examine the current state of Armenia’s media ecosystem and the realities confronting media actors, while also drawing lessons from Danish media practices, particularly in the field of self-regulation and its inherent challenges. In Brussels, our discussions with EU institutions focused on the pressures facing the Armenian media environment ahead of the elections, including the growing impact of foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), as well as evolving approaches to regulation and self-regulation. Engaging with international peers, we shared experience-driven insights into what is genuinely effective, relevant and operational in our context. These exchanges showed that while core principles and approaches can be shared, their implementation must be adapted to different political realities, cultural contexts and levels of public trust,” said Arevik Sahakyan, Executive Director, Factor TV, Armenia.

Platform accountability and the implementation of the DSA

The Digital Services Act is now in full effect across the EU, making dialogue with EU institutions on digital policy both timely and substantive. During the Brussels visit, MERIT Forum participants engaged directly with this regulatory reality, exploring how DSA implementation and platform accountability are being approached at the EU level.

These discussions took place with:

DG CONNECT (European Commission).
representatives of European public service media.
experts on platform accountability.

For Ukraine, which is moving towards deeper alignment with EU digital law, and for Armenia, which is exploring effective models for engagement with online platforms, these discussions offered an opportunity to compare EU regulatory logic with operational environments where platforms directly affect media safety and sustainability.

“For me, it was important to understand the criteria by which Ukraine’s implementation of its obligations to implement the DSA will be assessed and to point out the practical problems of regulating online platforms without access to EU leverage. The visit to Brussels allowed us to identify key aspects in the work on the DSA that should be focused on in the near future and laid the foundation for further cooperation,” said Vita Volodovska, Head of Digital Security Lab Ukraine.

European integration, media development and gender equality

Advancing Ukraine’s European integration was one of the central themes of the Forum, particularly in the context of ongoing war, institutional transformation and the need to align national policies with EU standards. Discussions focused on the practical steps required for approximation to the EU acquis, as well as the role of media development, infrastructure and regulatory frameworks in supporting this process.

As part of the programme, participants engaged in a series of institutional meetings in Brussels, including discussions with the Ukrainian Mission to the European Union, Cabinet advisers of the Council of the EU and representatives of DG ENEST. These exchanges focused on EU priorities in supporting Ukraine, particularly in the areas of media development, infrastructure and post-war reconstruction.

“In Brussels, this visit helped me better understand what steps Ukraine still needs to take for successful European integration. It was also striking that, at times, colleagues from EU here have an even deeper understanding of our situation than we do on the ground. At the same time, there is still a long way to go before we can say that Ukraine is fully ready to become a European state. Our partners are clearly ready to support and accompany us in this process. However, the pace and quality of European integration ultimately depend on our own actions as a state. European integration is not only a political matter, but also a matter of public policy. While the political dimension is largely on our side, much work still remains to ensure the policy dimension is fully delivered,” said Oleksiy Tretyakov-Grodzevych, Senior Lecturer at the Kyiv-Mohyla School of Governance, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and Project Manager at the Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM), Ukraine.

A separate topic addressed during the forum was gender equality. As participants noted during meetings with EU institutions, gender equality is directly linked to societal well‑being and transparency in public-sector decision‑making, while equal access to resources and opportunities is a marker of a mature society.

Elections and media system resilience

European institutions are increasingly focused on the impact of artificial intelligence and disinformation on electoral processes. In this context, the experience of public service media and factchecking initiatives played an important role. Exchanges with European partners addressed pre‑election factchecking, AI‑generated content and deepfakes, as well as editorial and technological innovations for safeguarding elections.

A consistent theme across all meetings was the understanding that media resilience is no longer a sector‑specific concern. It is directly linked to security, social cohesion and democratic legitimacy. This framing shaped discussions in which MERIT Forum participants, while seeking solutions for information systems, effectively addressed broader questions of societal and institutional resilience.

“We created the MERIT Forum to move beyond one‑way learning and instead build a shared space where media experts from Ukraine and Armenia can exchange practical knowledge, bring the realities of their contexts directly to EU decision‑makers and jointly develop solutions for change projects at home. The Forum connects media professionals, regulators and policymakers from Armenia, Ukraine, Denmark and across the EU, ensuring that European media and digital policies are informed not only by principles but by real‑world experience from societies under pressure. This exchange strengthens both local resilience and the quality of policy thinking at the European level,” said Gohar Khodjayan, Programme Lead, IMS.

According to Roman Kifliuk, IMS National Adviser in Ukraine, Ukraine MERIT Forum Coordinator the Forum’s design goes beyond programmes in Brussels and Copenhagen. Participant groups also engage intensively online and offline, working on projects with practical objectives and measurable outcomes.

“Working with the second cohort of experts, we already see that dialogue built around analytical data, field experience, case studies and observations significantly broadens collective expertise and perspectives. Particularly valuable is the emergence of a professional community: like‑minded participants from different countries connect, form international teams and reinforce one another. I would also emphasise the importance of recognising the value each individual brings – with trust and motivation, people are able to contribute far more to the sector. This is why we will continue developing MERIT Forum formats that support those upholding democratic values and quality journalism,” Roman Kifliuk noted.

MERIT Forum (Media, Expertise, Rights, Innovation and Transformation) was launched by IMS and is implemented as part of the REACH programme, with support from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

MERIT Forum has a strong practice‑oriented focus. In particular, following the completion of the programme – including a series of meetings, workshops and strategic sessions – the first cohort of Ukrainian participants produced a dedicated analytical‑practical output: Policy Book on Information Resilience: Lessons and recommendations from Ukraine 2022–2025.

The publication systematises the experience of Ukrainian media operating during full‑scale war and serves as a tool for structured dialogue with European stakeholders. With IMS’ support, the project team continues to share Ukrainian experience and solution‑oriented insights with expert communities across Europe through the Policy Book and related formats.