AMERICA’S VOICE MATTERS. THE WORLD AWAITS ITS RESTORATION!
Elez Biberaj
Today marks the 76th anniversary of Voice of America’s Ukrainian Service. For decades, through the darkness of Soviet occupation and communist rule, Ukraine’s rebirth as an independent nation, and its ongoing struggle to build a democratic future, VOA was a trusted voice to the Ukrainian people – delivering uncensored news and information and providing a window on America. It projected America’s values, advanced U.S. strategic interests, and countered anti American propaganda and disinformation.
Now, as Russia uses its power to crush a nation striving to live in peace, freedom, and dignity, America’s voice has gone silent. The dismantling of VOA has created a void at the very moment when America must be heard, and when Ukrainians – and other freedom seeking nations around the world – need truthful reporting from the United States. This silence has undermined U.S. national interests, diminished America’s soft power, and weakened the ability to communicate and defend U.S. foreign policy objectives in a region where information warfare is central to the conflict. Ukrainians need the type of content that VOA provides: fact based reporting, direct access to Washington’s voice and debates, and a trusted source of clarity amid disinformation.
It is imperative that the Administration reverse the dismantling of VOA and restore its vital programming. And Congress should approve the funding necessary to keep VOA on the air – fully, robustly, and without delay.
Restoring VOA is essential to America’s credibility and national interests. It is also a lifeline for all who believe in what America stands for and for the millions who still rely on truthful reporting.
