EU's Kallas says bloc can't automatically fund Radio Free Europe

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that it was sad to hear that the U.S. was withdrawing funding for Radio Free Europe but that the EU cannot automatically come in with funding.

Radio Free Europe "has been a beacon of democracy, and very valuable," Kallas, a former Estonian prime minister, told reporters in Brussels, noting that the issue was raised at a meeting of foreign ministers.

"It is sad to hear that U.S. is withdrawing its funding. Now the question for us is, can we come in with our funding to ... fill the void that U.S. is leaving? The answer to that question is ... not automatically," she said, adding that the bloc will "see what can we do".