THE NATIONAL UNION OF
JOURNALISTS OF UKRAINE
The Ukrainian–Swedish online forum on frontline press, “Journalism as a Lifeline in Times of War,” began on April 21. The event brought together more than 140 participants – editors, journalists, publishers, media experts, lecturers, and students from Sweden and Ukraine. The forum was organized by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and the Association of Swedish Media Publishers (Tidningsutgivarna, TU).
Opening the forum, NUJU President Sergiy Tomilenko emphasized the strategic role of Swedish partners in supporting Ukrainian media since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
“Swedish colleagues were among the first who, after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, began systematically supporting Ukrainian media. The first five bulletproof vests that the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine received after the invasion began came from Bonnier News, the Gazeta Wyborcza Foundation, and our Swedish friends,” Tomilenko recalled.
The partnership later developed into a broader initiative – the Ukrainian Media Fund, which united media companies and associations from Nordic countries: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. Sergiy Tomilenko stressed that the forum is held within the framework of a joint NUJU–TU program supporting 25 newspapers in frontline areas across seven regions of Ukraine.
“Despite shelling, power outages, destroyed editorial offices, and attacks by Russian drones, none of these newspapers has stopped publishing. We are proud and deeply impressed by the courage of editors, publishers, and journalists of frontline newspapers who continue their vital work. Very often, instead of postal operators, they themselves deliver newspapers to their audiences,” he said.
At the same time, Sergiy Tomilenko noted that about one-third of the frontline newsrooms participating in the program said that without current six-month Swedish support, they would have to significantly reduce publication frequency or stop operating altogether.
The NUJU President drew a parallel between journalism and other critical infrastructure sectors:
“When electricity is destroyed, people are left without power – and we restore energy systems. When hospitals are damaged, people cannot receive care – and we restore healthcare. But when local journalism disappears, people are left without truth, without access to the outside world, without information. That is why journalism is also about survival.”
At the end of the forum, participants are expected to adopt a joint resolution in support of frontline media, calling on international partners to recognize local journalism as part of critical infrastructure.
President of the Swedish Media Publishers’ Association (TU) Johan Taubert addressed the participants with welcoming remarks, explaining why Swedish media have consistently supported Ukrainian colleagues since 2022.
“We believe that newspapers and independent local journalism are extremely important for a democratic world. In times of war, this importance becomes even greater. Independent journalism matters, independent local journalism matters — because it helps people who live in these places, providing them with reliable information, clear context, and an understanding of what is happening around them,” Johan Taubert said.
The TU President stressed that the work of frontline newsrooms goes far beyond reporting:
“When you create meaning and give people a sense of normality, when you show that another life is possible even under such circumstances, you help people stay connected. You remind them of what normal life was, of human dignity, and that it can be preserved even in the most difficult conditions. This cannot be underestimated.”
Johan Taubert also emphasized that the Swedish side highly values cooperation with the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine.
Greeting words were also delivered by the Head of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, Oleh Nalyvaiko.
The forum consists of two parts: an international session dedicated to Ukraine–Sweden dialogue and testimonies from editors in frontline regions, and a Ukrainian session focusing on practical cases of financial sustainability, cooperation with military press officers, and audience engagement during wartime.
For security reasons, the forum is not being livestreamed. A recording will be published on NUJU platforms after the event concludes.
NUJU Information Service
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