ARTE adds Ukrainian public broadcaster to partner network

European cultural channel ARTE has expanded its partner network by signing an association agreement with the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne Ukraine.

The partnership was approved at an extraordinary general assembly of ARTE GEIE held today in Strasbourg, where a delegation from the Kyiv-based broadcaster joined the meeting for the formal decision.

ARTE president Heike Hempel and vice-president Bruno Patino said the agreement marked a significant step in the cultural channel’s European strategy. With Suspilne joining the network, ARTE now counts 13 partner broadcasters across the continent.

“This is an extraordinary day for ARTE – the association agreement with the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne Ukraine moves us deeply and fills us with pride,” Hempel said. “Our two organisations share common goals and values, which the teams at Suspilne Ukraine defend under the most difficult conditions.”

Patino added that the agreement strengthens ARTE’s European footprint and “paves the way for high-quality, ambitious co-productions”, while demonstrating the broadcaster’s commitment to defending democratic values and fostering solidarity across Europe.

Mykola Chernotytskyi, CEO of Suspilne Ukraine, described the partnership as both a professional alliance and a symbolic gesture at a critical time for the country. “This partnership between ARTE and Suspilne Ukraine is not only a sign of professional cooperation, but also a powerful declaration of solidarity and shared values,” he said. “As Ukraine fights for its freedom and democratic future, belonging to the European cultural and media community means a great deal to us.”

The agreement will enable ARTE to initiate more co-productions with Suspilne. The broadcaster has already been active in supporting Ukrainian creatives, most notably through Generation Ukraine, a collection of 12 documentaries exploring the social and human impact of the war.

At the same meeting, ARTE’s members also approved an extension of its association agreement with Spanish public broadcaster RTVE, with which it has collaborated on numerous co-productions in recent years.

ARTE’s European partner network now includes Suspilne Ukraine (Ukraine), SVT (Sweden), LPM (Latvia), RTVE (Spain), LRT (Lithuania), Film Fund Luxembourg, RTÉ (Ireland), RAI Com (Italy), ČT (Czech Republic), ORF (Austria), YLE (Finland), SRG SSR (Switzerland) and RTBF (Belgium).