Photo: IMS
MERIT Forum exchange on media resilience
As part of the MERIT Forum initiative, Ukrainian media professionals visited Brussels in June 2025 to share their expertise in information warfare, digital threats, and crisis reporting.
The visit focused on exchanges between Ukraine’s media community and European counterparts and on strengthening professional knowledge exchange. The MERIT delegation included representatives from leading Ukrainian media organisations, who shared their practical approaches to building resilient media systems in times of war and uncertainty.
“Ukraine has had to adapt rapidly to new forms of information warfare. Our experience isn’t theoretical — it’s based on real-time crisis management and survival,” said Mariya Frey, Board Member of the Ukrainian Public Broadcasting Company, Suspilne. “Sharing our insights is not only about support. It’s about contributing to a stronger, more connected media space across Europe.”
The Ukrainian participants emphasized that their frontline experience in countering disinformation, ensuring journalist safety, and upholding editorial standards under pressure can serve as a valuable resource for media actors across the continent.
“We are not just asking for solidarity — we are offering practical knowledge,” said Maksym Dvorovyi, Senior Legal Counsel at Digital Security Lab Ukraine. “Our ability to respond to evolving threats can inform broader strategies to protect the integrity of public information across borders.”
“Europe is currently facing unprecedented challenges in the information space — from disinformation to digital threats,” noted Gohar Khodjayan, Programme Manager for Ukraine and Team Lead at IMS. “Ukraine, being on the frontline of this struggle for over a decade, possesses unique expertise that can significantly contribute to the development of European policies. Open exchange with our Ukrainian partners strengthens shared resilience and helps harmonise approaches.”
By bringing the MERIT Forum to Brussels, IMS helped ensure that Ukrainian media voices are not only heard, but actively contribute to shaping resilient and inclusive media environments across the EU – region.
The MERIT Forum is part of REACH: Media Partnerships for Accountability and Trust, IMS’s regional programme in the Eastern Partnership, funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. MERIT aims to foster democratic, inclusive, and resilient media environments through knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and regional cooperation. Special attention is given to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and alignment with EU standards and international human rights norms.
