The EU is considering ways to support the US-funded media outlet after budget reductions initiated by Donald Trump.
Kaja Kallas, a top EU diplomat, stated that the EU will explore options to assist Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) after President Donald Trump reduced its funding.
RFE/RL, established during the Cold War, aimed to disseminate pro-Western viewpoints within the Soviet Bloc. Initially funded by the CIA, the organization continues to receive funding from the US Congress.
Following a Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Monday, Kallas was asked if the EU would offer “temporary protection” to terminated Russian journalists. She emphasized the historical importance of RFE/RL’s broadcasts during the Cold War.
“It is unfortunate that the US is decreasing its financial support. We are now considering whether we can provide funding to compensate for this loss,” Kallas stated. “The answer is not straightforward, as numerous organizations are making similar requests.”
“However, there was strong encouragement from foreign ministers to address this issue and identify a solution. Our task is to assess potential actions,” she added.
The European Commission and EU member state officials have voiced disapproval of Trump’s decision to cut the agency’s budget. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky mentioned on X last week that he would discuss options to “at least partially maintain its broadcasts.” According to The Kyiv Independent, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski indicated on Monday that the EU was “brainstorming” ways to aid RFE.
On March 14, Trump signed an executive order mandating budget and staff reductions at the United States Agency for Global Media, which oversees RFE/RL and other state-funded news organizations, including Voice of America. The White House stated this action is part of a broader effort to eliminate “unnecessary” bureaucracy. Trump has frequently accused media outlets of bias and spreading “fake news” about him and his policies.
FRE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus has characterized the cuts as “a significant advantage for America’s adversaries.”
During a call with journalists on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described RFE/RL and Voice of America as “purely propagandistic media” and stated that the funding cuts were an internal matter for the US.
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