Support for Ukrainian independent media from European partners has a real dimension and manifests itself in specific joint actions. As part of the ongoing systematic cooperation, Oksana Brovko, CEO of the Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine, is currently visiting Finland.
During the visit, Oksana Brovko spoke about the work of Ukrainian regional and local media during the war at the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A meeting was also held with Katri Viinikka, ambassador for Democracy and the Rule of Law kohteessa Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Jussi Kanner, an expert on Democracy and Rule of Law Support in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, and Henna Birkman, Human Rights, desk officer for Human Rights at Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. The discussion focused on issues of freedom of speech, self-regulation, the role of news media in democratic societies, and the resilience of editorial offices in crisis and war conditions.
— We already have professional ties with the Scandinavian countries, and this is extremely important. Finland consistently ranks among the top countries in global rankings of freedom of speech and media literacy among the population. These topics are critically important not only for the media, but also for Ukraine as a whole. This is particularly valuable experience on the eve of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. We believe that our cooperation will not only continue, but will also deepen, — emphasizes Oksana Brovko, CEO of the Association.
The meetings in Finland are an extension of our ongoing project Media Bridges: Finland-Ukraine, which is being implemented by the Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine in cooperation with News Media Finland.
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Project launched in 2025 in cooperation with News Media Finland, this project focuses on training in self-regulation and media literacy. Finnish participants include Helsingin Sanomat, Lapin Kansa, and JSN; ten Ukrainian regional editorial teams are also involved. In addition to monthly online meetings, the project includes study tours to Helsingin Sanomat (Helsinki) and Lapin Kansa (Lapland), as well as grants for information campaigns on self-regulation.
