Yevhenia Kravchuk Appointed Chair of PACE Subcommittee on Journalist Safety and Disinformation

Ukrainian MP Elected to Lead PACE Media Subcommittee, Pledges Focus on Journalist Safety and Disinformation

Ukrainian parliamentarian Yevheniia Kravchuk has been elected as chair of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s (PACE) Subcommittee on Media, positioning her to advance critical issues surrounding media freedom, journalist protection, and the battle against disinformation.

Speaking during PACE session meetings in Strasbourg, Kravchuk outlined her priorities in her new role, emphasizing the strategic importance of the subcommittee within the broader Committee on Culture and the Information Society.

“This is a fairly important subcommittee which covers not only issues of journalist safety, the overall functioning of media in a democratic society, but also issues such as social online platforms. Specifically, what should be the regulation of such platforms,” Kravchuk explained during the session.

A key focus of her chairmanship will be addressing Russia’s crimes against media professionals, including the investigation of journalists killed, injured, or unlawfully detained during the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. This initiative reflects the broader European concern over the deteriorating safety of journalists in conflict zones and countries with restricted press freedoms.

Kravchuk also highlighted the urgent need to combat disinformation, noting that the Council of Europe is currently developing a new convention specifically targeting this growing threat to democratic institutions and electoral integrity.

“Obviously, there is a need for tools here and now, and the Council of Europe should use our work in this fight,” she stated. “Ukraine faces enormous challenges now, during the war. And the question of such social networks, including Telegram, is more urgent than in Western European countries.”

The Ukrainian MP pointed to Moldova as an exemplary case study in the fight against Russian disinformation. Moldova, which currently chairs the Council of Europe, has effectively countered Russian influence operations during its elections, offering valuable lessons for Ukraine and other European nations facing similar challenges.

“Moldova has identified as one of its priority topics the fight against disinformation, interference in elections by undemocratic countries such as Russia,” Kravchuk said. “It is Moldova that is initiating in March a ministerial conference in Chisinau dedicated to this. Because this is a problem that concerns many delegates from different countries, especially in the context of interference in their elections.”

The issue of election interference has become increasingly prominent across Europe and beyond, with numerous countries reporting sophisticated disinformation campaigns designed to manipulate voter behavior and undermine democratic processes. Kravchuk’s position will enable her to help shape pan-European policies addressing these evolving threats.

Her appointment comes as part of a broader expansion of Ukrainian leadership within PACE. Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s parliament), congratulated several Ukrainian parliamentarians who secured positions in various PACE committees and subcommittees.

Among the notable appointments are Maria Mezentseva-Fedorenko, who will serve as Vice-President of PACE; Serhiy Vlasenko, who heads the Committee on the Election of European Court of Human Rights judges; Yulia Ovchinnikova, appointed Deputy Chair of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development; and Elizaveta Yasko, who will serve as Deputy Chair of the Committee on the New Democratic Pact.

These appointments reflect Ukraine’s growing influence within European institutions as the country continues to pursue deeper integration with European governance structures amid its ongoing conflict with Russia. The increased representation also provides Ukraine with additional platforms to advocate for European support and to shape policies relevant to its current challenges.

For Kravchuk, the chairmanship offers an opportunity to address critical issues at the intersection of media, democracy, and security – areas of particular relevance to Ukraine’s current situation but with implications for democracies throughout Europe and beyond.