The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has voiced her disappointment over the reduction in US funding for Radio Free Europe, pointing out that the EU cannot immediately bridge the funding gap left by the United States. This decision has also led Elon Musk, who is known for advocating for cuts in the US federal budget at the behest of Donald Trump, to speak out and suggest that the media organization be shut down, labeling it “just radical left crazy people talking to themselves.”
Kallas, who holds the distinction of being a former prime minister of Estonia and was born in the Soviet Union, lamented Radio Free Europe’s significance as a vulnerable source of information and democracy during her youth. She stated that the outlet’s financial situation would be discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
The reduction in funding comes at a time when the US Agency for Global Media has stopped its grants to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, a broadcaster founded during the Cold War that reaches audiences in 23 countries, including Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, and Afghanistan.
The Czech Republic is now advocating for the EU to support the Prague-based media group, with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský hoping to partially maintain its operations. However, it is uncertain if the EU can muster the resources to fill the void left by the US funding cuts, and even then, support will not necessarily be automatic. The funding shortfall extends beyond just Radio Free Europe, as there are ongoing discussions about gaps left by the USAid funding termination.
RFE/RL, founded in 1950, was originally established to deliver reliable local news behind the Iron Curtain and later expanded to provide broadcasts in 27 languages across 23 countries. Approximately 47 million people tune in weekly, with over 1,700 staff members working for the outlet.
Concern from those who rely on RFE/RL has been vocal, with Polish security expert Katarzyna Pisarska highlighting its importance in informing the public about critical events such as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, which was initially suppressed by the Polish communist regime.
In the context of this situation, Russia has officially classified Radio Free Europe as an undesirable organization, effectively banning it. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, downplayed the outlet’s significance within the Russian Federation and framed the cut in funding as an internal US decision.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/17/eus-foreign-policy-chief-laments-us-funding-cuts-to-radio-free-europe
