The future of media: Ukraine presents its experience in countering disinformation at the Informal Meeting of EU Culture and Media Ministers

On 4 November in Copenhagen, during the second day of the Informal Meeting of EU Culture and Media Ministers, discussions focused on the future of media. The Ukrainian delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna, joined the talks.

The focus was on ensuring accountability in the digital environment, countering disinformation, and balancing freedom of speech with professional journalism.

The Minister of Culture, Media and Sport of Denmark, Jakob Engel-Schmidt, delivered opening remarks. The public discussion “How Do We Safeguard Reliable Information in the Digital Age?” featured the Director-General of the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR), Bjarne Corydon; the Minister of Culture of Latvia, Agnese Lāce; and the Chair of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield, Nathalie Loiseau.

The discussion centred on the Danish Ministry of Culture’s document “How Do We Safeguard Reliable Information in the Digital Age?”. It addresses one of the key challenges of our time – preserving reliable, independent, and editorially responsible information in the digital era. The document stresses that trustworthy information is the foundation of democratic societies.

Key issues included the responsibility of digital platforms for algorithmic content distribution, fair competition between traditional media and new digital players, and ethical and legal standards to maintain trust in information.

The second public conversation addressed Europe’s vision for its content.

During the working group session, Tetiana Berezhna noted: “For Ukraine, protecting reliable information is a matter of security. The russians attack not only territorially but also informationally. Thus, we face the challenge of developing an open, democratic media ecosystem under constant attacks. Implementing European standards of transparency and editorial responsibility helps strengthen public trust and counter disinformation.”

She explained that Ukraine is consistently adopting European media approaches. The Ministry is focusing on enhancing citizens’ media literacy – through the National Media Literacy Project “Filter” and the Media Literacy Development Strategy until 2026. Ukraine is also participating in the Council of Europe’s Journalists Matter campaign and preparing to join the European Democracy Shield initiative.

Tetiana Berezhna also highlighted the profound transformations driven by digitalisation and global information processes. The media space faces a dual challenge: preserving identity while remaining competitive in the global content ecosystem.

For Ukraine, this topic holds particular significance. The Government has already approved the Concept for the Development of Artificial Intelligence, which identifies the use of such technologies as a key tool for ensuring information security and protecting national interests.

In 2024, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, together with the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and relevant experts, developed guidelines for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in media. The aim is to familiarise Ukrainian journalists with the best international practices in this field.

On 3 November in Copenhagen, the Informal Meeting of EU Ministers of Culture and Media began under the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU, themed “Democratic Resilience through Culture and Media”. Ukraine is represented by a delegation from the Ministry of Culture and cultural sector representatives.

Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna has already presented the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund and held several meetings and speeches during the first day of the event.