Editorial

A dark hour for Europe

While Russia’s war against Ukraine is raging within the borders of a sovereign European country, the collateral damage is global. In this special edition we highlight some aspects of a conflict that is likely to be triggering enormous effects within Europe and far beyond. While the full assessment of the consequences will take time, some immediate effects are already obvious.

We are witnessing an exodus of millions of people from Ukraine seeking safety in other European countries. They are added to the UN’s statistic of more than 100 million people around the globe who are refugees or internally displaced persons as a result of armed conflicts.

Before the war, Ukraine was an important supplier to the world market for crops. This vital contribution to the support of nations facing dire food shortages due to climate change and conflicts of their own will be almost impossible to compensate in the short run. Nations in Africa and beyond will have to suffer the consequences, even if international organizations are doing what is in their power to prevent the worst.

Our reporters and crews on the ground have been covering the war of aggression against Ukraine from day one, February 24, 2022. This is one of the times in history when journalism can prove its relevance. We cannot stop the war, but we can contribute to decisive political action by keeping the fate of hundreds of thousands of people in the headlines.

Two Ukrainian journalists have been essential in bringing to light the atrocities committed by the Russian aggressors. Mstyslav Chernov and Evgeniy Maloletka are receiving the DW Freedom of Speech Award this year for their singularly impressive reporting from the besieged city of Mariupol. Their reporting changed public perception of this war in a fundamental way.

Support for the people of Ukraine in this dark hour for Europe so far is impressive, but it needs to be lasting. Hopefully, this war will come to an end soon, so we can start reporting about the rebuilding of Ukraine and the prosecution of war crimes. A large-scale international cooperation has been launched to collect evidence.

The challenge for independent journalism in times of crises lies in digging through the growing amount of disinformation and not to get drowned out by ever more effective propaganda tools.

Covering developments inside Russia has become a bit more difficult for DW, since the Russian authorities forced us to close our bureau in Moscow. Our team is now working from temporary exile in the Latvian capital Riga. One day, we will be back in Moscow.

Nevertheless, even while we temporarily had to close shop there, our reporting about Russia continues to be comprehensive and to the point. Our audiences don’t have to miss a beat. Thankfully, Russia’s attempt at blocking independent media on the internet so far is not too successful. Providing effective tools for the circumvention of censorship will remain high on our agenda. DW has actually gained additional users in Russia, which is an indication for the great interest in objective information, as more and more people in Russia understand that all they are getting is propaganda.

The challenge for independent journalism in times of crises lies in digging through the growing amount of disinformation and not to get drowned out by ever more effective propaganda tools. The number of governments that are choking freedom of opinion and a free press around the world is growing. Free media have to deliver unbiased news and facts. The media also need to hold those accountable who are posing a threat to peace and stability, depriving millions of people around the world of their rights and perspectives.

Cordially,

Peter Limbourg Director General

@dw_Limbourg