On July 18, the Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, Oleksandr Tkachenko, and the new Minister of Culture of France, Rima Abdul-Malak, held online talks.
The Ukrainian side informed the French colleagues about the losses suffered by the Ukrainian culture and media as a result of russia’s unjustified full-scale military aggression.
“I invited France to lead the process of creating and replenishing the European Fund for the aid to culture and media of Ukraine,” said Oleksandr Tkachenko.
In total, through the Aliph Foundation, France collected 2 million dollars to save Ukrainian cultural heritage.
Ukraine also expressed gratitude to the French side for supporting Ukrainian artists under the PAUSE program, with which 820 of our citizens and their families received asylum and support in France.
The topic of information security and the fight against russian propaganda, in particular, in France, was discussed separately at the meeting. Oleksandr Tkachenko reminded that the French company Eutelsat still broadcasts 5 russian channels on satellite, and called on Rima Abdul Malak to help disconnect them from French broadcasting.
“In general, I was impressed by the involvement of the minister and her team in the context of the needs of Ukraine and by the specific proposals regarding the cooperation of our countries in the cultural sphere – from the participation of our artists and photojournalists in exhibitions, various support programs for Ukrainian cultural figures and scientists, to the creation of a special fund for support our film producers. And, of course, I invited them to visit Ukraine- to see the state of affairs with their own eyes. She replied that she would come soon with concrete results and proposals,” the Minister summarized.
