Ukraine should reassess the United News telethon over its impact on media pluralism, the European Commission said in its Ukraine report published on 4 November.
The report also says that Ukraine plans to continue the telethon’s funding despite declining levels of public trust and outreach.
“Ukraine should address concerns regarding its impact on media pluralism and the need for its reassessment,” the European Commission writes.
The report mentions that around 1,5 billion hryvnias of public funding were allocated for the telethon in 2026, while the state-run channel Rada TV ceased broadcasting as part of the national telethon on 1 January 2026.
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The European Commission discussed the telethon as part of its assessment of Ukraine’s observance of freedom of expression and media pluralism guarantees as the coutry moves toward EU accession.
The report also notes some progress by Ukraine in securing the financial independence of the public broadcaster and in ensuring broader access to parliament for journalists. At the same time, Ukraine’s media landscape continues to face challenges related to Russia’s full-scale aggression, economic pressure, and restrictions under martial law.
On 27 October 2026, the Verkhovna Rada’s Budget Committee rejected without discussion an amendment to the draft state budget that would have diverted 500 million hryvnias from public funding for the telethon to support media outlets affected by Russian aggression.
