2 years since the launch of The Europe-Ukraine Desk

The Europe-Ukraine Desk has taken us on an exciting journey aimed at amplifying Ukrainian perspectives in Western European media and improving mutual understanding among colleagues from Ukraine and the EU.

If we were to summarize the Europe-Ukraine Desk in numbers, here is what we have achieved:

• 53 journalists from Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Spain have visited war-time Ukraine as part of study visits.

• 25 Ukrainian journalists have spent nearly two months in total on extensive study visits to Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Madrid, Paris, Rome, and Sofia.

• 35 cross-border teams have received grants to support their Ukraine-related projects.

• 155,000 euros have been allocated to support publications.

• 20 podcast episodes Covering Ukraine about journalism in and on Ukraine have been recorded and published.

• 11 discussions have been organised in the heart of Kyiv to address challenges in Ukraine reporting.

• 2 workshops for Ukrainian journalists have been held, focusing on how to work with international media and pitch stories to foreign editors.

• 70 What about Ukraine newsletter editions have been sent to 620 subscribers – media professionals interested in Ukraine.

These accomplishments have been made possible by a dedicated team from across Europe. Media network managers in each country have played a key role in building professional relationships, expanding the network, and monitoring Ukraine’s media coverage.

"Bringing EU journalists to Ukraine has been a privilege, an honour, an adventure, and a responsibility. Through numerous meetings with local experts and actors of different spheres, as well as through the experience of daily life in the capital of a country at war, we, hopefully, managed to suggest something that is not available through reading newswires or even watching social media stories from locals. We suggested both a better understanding and a better feeling of the context. Together, we learned how to explain ourselves and to carefully listen to others, no matter how big the burden of responsibilities is. And this interest and openness seem to be something really precious in increasingly turbulent times this world is drowning in."

Oksana Mamchenkova, Ukraine

"The EUD project has had a significant impact on the journalistic environment in Bulgaria. The study trips allowed 10 Bulgarian reporters to visit Ukraine and produce first-hand information, an opportunity often precluded by the resource-limited Bulgarian media, and the visit of Ukrainian colleagues created important opportunities for exchanges, several times extended to the general public through interviews with fellows published in the main media. All the major media organisations in the country (TV, radio, newspapers, online media) were involved in the project, creating a rich network of direct contacts and possibilities for future collaboration."

Francesco Martino, Bulgaria

"Working with n-ost's Europe-Ukraine Desk has been transformative. Their support enabled me to conduct two major investigations on occupied territories with Ukrainian journalist Sofia Kochmar, published in French media. This work, based on over 50 interviews, led to a podcast and invitations from other outlets, amplifying its impact. I also saw how n-ost’s study trips helped French journalists gain a more nuanced understanding of Ukraine. Writing for the newsletter sharpened my grasp of media narratives, allowing me to identify gaps and highlight outstanding journalism by Ukrainian and other European colleagues, fostering more accurate and insightful coverage of Ukraine abroad."

Clara Marchaud, France

"It was worth all the hard work to see journalists from EU countries gain first-hand experience of historical events in Ukraine and to watch Ukrainian journalists orient themselves in EU countries. I see great ambition on both sides for this huge task. Especially in Hungary, where the press is in a difficult situation and the government’s attitude towards Ukraine does not bode well for good relations. If we consider the interests of Europe, including Ukraine, the need for contacts between societies, forums for dialogue, and informed reporting is beyond doubt. I firmly believe that the work we have put into this project will only pay off in the long term."

Kornelia Kiss, Hungary

"Comparing yourself with journalists from other countries and observing their working methods means asking many questions about your own work and finding input for continuous improvement. Furthermore, the study visit to Ukraine in February gave me the opportunity to better understand the country beyond the war stories, making me feel the responsibility to convey this complexity whenever I cover Ukraine in the future. In the pace of our work, there is a particular need for moments of study like this."

Lidia Baratta, Italy

"Reporting on war is like falling in love: you need emotion and closeness at first, but depth and commitment over time. That is why I joined the EUD, after a year of Russia’s full-scale invasion working on the ground. Worn out by months of constant attention, society demanded a more profound understanding of what was happening and to whom. The study trips to Kyiv and Madrid, as well as the grants for cross-border journalism, are just the tip of the iceberg. This project has helped improve the quality of information reaching European audiences, thanks to a growing network of professionals from Spain to the front lines in Donetsk. The roots are in place. Now it is about nurturing them and letting their best fruits grow."

Fermin Torrano, Spain

The Europe-Ukraine Desk has been supported by the European Commission and will run until the end of April 2025.