Capping off two months of cooperation, Radio Taiwan International (Rti) hosted a conference Monday, February 2, to celebrate the success of the exchange program with Ukrainian journalists Taras Andrukhovych and Anna Lvova. Speaking at the event, Rti Chairperson Cheryl Lai (賴秀如) said that the exchange offered the world a new view of Taiwan’s situation from the perspective of reporters familiar with conflict.

Andrukhovych and Lvova came to Taiwan two months ago in collaboration with the Foreign Ministry, Polish Radio, and Rti, for a training program to support Ukrainian journalists, and enhance international understanding of Taiwan. In that time, they toured Kinmen, interviewed important officials, and witnessed the CCP’s military exercises around Taiwan, offering what Lai called a rare opportunity for the world to recontextualize Taiwan’s situation. She said, “Soon after Christmas, they experienced a major earthquake [at] midnight, and then they wake up, 2025, with the hostile military exercises from China. So it’s an interesting and special opportunity to see Taiwan through their eyes.”

The conference was also attended by European diplomats including EU Ambassador to Taiwan Lutz Güllner and Germany's representative to Taiwan, Karsten Tietz. Güllner pointed out that the exchange was equally fruitful for both countries, offering a chance for the world to understand Ukraine better as well, reaffirming the EU’s support.

Tietz brought up NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s comments linking a CCP invasion of Taiwan with a Russian invasion of Europe last October, connecting the plight of Taiwan to that of Ukraine. He asked the crowd what message it would send to Taiwan if the world did not support Ukraine, allowed Russian aggression, and allowed authoritarianism to successfully change borders by force. “Who will believe we are willing to help other democracies in need,” Tietz asked, “if we don’t step in to help them?”

The Polish Office in Taipei thanked the Foreign Ministry and Rti for their parts in the exchange. They emphasized that as the world challenges the growing disinformation threat, it will need well-trained journalists to defend truth against information warfare and propaganda.