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yesterday

EU Commits €5.5 Million Emergency Funding to Sustain Radio Free Europe

The funding aims to keep the broadcaster operational in key regions after U.S. cuts, as RFE/RL pushes for longer-term solutions.

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European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, center, rings a bell to signify the start of a meeting of EU defense ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
Latvia's Foreign Minister Baiba Braze speaks with the media as she arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Belgium, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Belgium, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

Overview

  • The European Union has approved €5.5 million in emergency funding to support Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) following the suspension of U.S. funding by the Trump administration.
  • The EU funding is short-term and focused on maintaining RFE/RL's operations in neighboring regions reliant on independent journalism.
  • A U.S. federal judge previously ordered the Trump administration to restore $12 million appropriated by Congress, but the funds remain stalled, leaving RFE/RL at risk of closure in June.
  • RFE/RL broadcasts in 27 languages across 23 countries, with its corporate headquarters in Washington, D.C., and journalistic base in the Czech Republic.
  • EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed hope that the bloc's 27 member states will provide additional, longer-term funding to ensure the broadcaster's sustainability.