European news alliance expels Russia's state agency TASS after third attempt

In brief

• The European Alliance of News Agencies expelled Russia's state news agency TASS at its general assembly in Larnaca, Cyprus, on 13 November 2026.
• Nineteen of 20 agencies voted for the expulsion, which followed a motion from Ukraine's Ukrinform.
• TASS had been suspended since March 2022, and earlier attempts to expel it in 2022 and 2023 had failed.

Vote in Larnaca

The general assembly of the European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) decided on Friday to expel TASS from its ranks. In a secret ballot, 19 of the 20 agencies present backed the motion, one abstained and none voted against (Európske spravodajské agentúry vylúčili ruskú TASS, za návrh hlasovalo 19 z 20 členov – HNonline.sk). A three-quarters majority of those present was required (Rosyjska agencja TASS wykluczona. Udało się za trzecim razem – RMF24).

Third attempt succeeds

The motion was filed by Ukraine's national news agency Ukrinform. Ukrinform's deputy director general, Natalia Kostina, told the meeting that news agencies are part of a society's critical infrastructure and that TASS was using that position to take part in a hybrid operation against Ukraine and Europe. Earlier attempts, made by the Polish Press Agency shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 and again in 2023, failed for lack of the required majority.

Suspension since 2022

TASS had been suspended from EANA membership since March 2022 and could not take part in the association's meetings or conferences (Tuba Kremla wyrzucona z stowarzyszenia agencji prasowych. Litewska ELTA na pokładzie – Bankier.pl). Czech news agency ČTK, represented in Larnaca by its director general Jaroslav Kábele, said the decision confirmed press freedom and the independence of news agencies as core principles.

Same meeting, new member

At the same session, the Lithuanian agency ELTA was admitted to the alliance.

Wider moves against Russian media bodies

The International Federation of Journalists had already removed the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ) from its ranks on 7 May 2026. Together, the two decisions mean that Russian organisations representing journalists have lost membership in both bodies this year.