"The misleading information focused on Europe's Russian speaking citizens can unbalance the political situation in European states, where there are Russian communities of considerable size," the letter referred to the events in the Crimea.
Closing Russian TV and media channels won't end the propaganda and can even increase its effect, the letter says.
"We see that Europe needs Russian language news sources which are based on strong journalistic values. We also understand that single countries alone lack resources for creation and administering of such channels.".
Thus they propose the idea of starting a joint European Russian language channel financed by the EU. "We call it conditionally "the Voice of Europe," the letter says.
The letter was signed by former editor-in-chief of Postimees Anvar Samost, former Helsingin Sanomat editor-in-chief Mikael Pentikäinen, editor-in-chief of Diena Gatis Madžiņš and former Lithuanian BNS editor-in-chief Arturas Račas.
