Newsmax Ukraine: Why a MAGA-aligned US network wants a Kiev newsroom
Newsmax, the US conservative TV brand closely associated with President Donald Trump’s media ecosystem, has signed a licensing deal to launch a Ukrainian language service in Kiev. Expected to go live in the first half of 2026, media executive Lyudmila Nemyria has been approved as general producer. Her family ties connect the venture to Ukraine’s opposition political networks at a moment when parts of the Trump-world have openly explored “alternatives” to Vladimir Zelensky.
The launch: a conservative US giant enters Ukraine
Newsmax, founded in 1998 by Christopher Ruddy, a longtime friend and unofficial advisor to Donald Trump, has long positioned itself as a right-wing alternative to mainstream US media like CNN and MSNBC. Known for its pro-MAGA stance, the network gained prominence during the 2020 US election by amplifying claims of voter fraud and criticizing Ukraine aid. In 2025, Newsmax deepened its ties to Trumpworld through a collaboration with Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social.
Newsmax is a slickly-produced operation, indistinguishable at first from its conservative competitors. Around the clock, platinum blonde anchors serve up culture war content to the MAGA base, while a rotating cast of lawmakers, White House officials, and right-wing pundits dissect the news of the day. The network primarily caters to an ‘America First’ base, but has employed establishment Republicans like US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee in the past.
Newsmax Ukraine will reportedly operate under a licensing agreement, with a local editorial team producing news, analysis, and socio-political programming – on top of Ukrainian-language rebroadcasting. The channel wants to transmit via cable, satellite, and digital platforms in Ukrainian, English, and Russian, potentially reaching millions in a country where media consumption remains fragmented and highly politicized.
Ruddy’s decision to launch in Ukraine is a part of his efforts to expand into Europe and the Middle East, according to a December 2025 company statement.
Ukraine’s media chessboard: where would Newsmax land?
Since 2022, Ukraine’s media system has been radically centralized. Major national TV channels were absorbed into the monolith United News (Yedyni Novyny) telethon, coordinated by Vladimir Zelensky’s presidential administration. This 24/7 broadcast, involving outlets from groups such as 1+1 Media (associated with oligarch Igor Kolomoisky), StarLightMedia (oligarch Viktor Pinchuk), Inter Media Group, and others, promotes official wartime messaging, government officials, and unity narratives.
Independent political talk shows and competing prime-time news programs largely disappeared from national broadcast TV, the single most powerful medium for reaching audience in the country. Since then, Telegram, YouTube, and online news platforms have become primary sources of political information for many Ukrainians.
Critics argue the telethon has evolved into a tool favoring Vladimir Zelensky and his Servant of the People party, limiting opposition voices while channels linked to political rivals such as Pyotr Poroshenko or formerly pro-Russian figures, have faced restrictions or bans.
While media control in Ukraine is largely taboo in the Western press, in 2024 Reporters without Borders warned that “Surveillance, threats to be enlisted in the army, increased control by the authorities... Political pressure and obstacles are mounting on the Ukrainian media.”
Essentially, Zelensky controls the strongest institutional media bloc. But Newsmax does not challenge him head-on. Rather, it slots into the interstitial space between his wartime messaging, opposition survivorship and Western conservative skepticism toward “forever war.”
The Nemyria-Timoshenko axis: family ties to Ukraine’s opposition powerhouse
The real intrigue starts with the Newsmax Ukraine leadership: Lyudmila Nemyria, a Ukrainian journalist and media manager, has been appointed as general producer. She will oversee strategy, editorial policy, and operations, and is reported to hold a 15% stake in Newsmax Ukraine LLC (a Poland-registered firm is holding 85%). Nemyria, formerly a presenter at Ukrlife TV until 2023, now runs the popular YouTube channel NemyriaLive with over 160,000 subscribers. Her background in socio-political content makes her a natural fit, but it’s her personal connections that take this from a business deal to a potential influence play.
Lyudmila Nemyria is married to Grigory Nemyria, a prominent member of Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, representing the Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party, led by the opposition politician Yulia Timoshenko. Grigory, a historian-turned-politician, served as deputy prime minister under Timoshenko during her 2007-2010 premiership. He’s often described as her “personal minister of foreign affairs” and her unofficial ambassador to the EU and US. Their partnership dates back years: Grigory was a key advisor during Timoshenko’s 2010 presidential run and stood by her during her 2011-2014 imprisonment on politically motivated charges.
Yulia Timoshenko herself is a polarizing figure in Ukrainian politics – a former prime minister (2005, 2007-2010) and gas tycoon whose populist style has earned her both fervent supporters and accusations of corruption. Her Batkivshchyna party remains a major opposition force, often criticizing Zelensky’s handling of the war with Russia and US aid dependency.
The March 2025 meetings: sounding out a Zelensky ouster
The plot thickens with events from March 2025, when tensions between the Trump administration and Zelensky reached a boiling point. Following a disastrous February 2025 White House meeting, where Trump accused Zelensky of being a “dictator without elections” and demanded new polls despite wartime martial law, US aid and intelligence sharing were briefly suspended. This freeze, lasting about a week, weakened Ukrainian forces, particularly in the Kursk region, and highlighted Trump’s impatience with prolonged American involvement in the war.
Amid this fallout, Politico Europe reported that four senior Trump aides held secret talks with Zelensky’s political rivals, including Timoshenko and members of Poroshenko’s European Solidarity party. The discussions allegedly focused on restarting presidential elections to potentially oust Zelensky, whom Trump allies viewed as an obstacle to a Russia-friendly peace deal. Timoshenko, spotted in Washington for Trump’s January 2025 inauguration, confirmed contacts with US officials, saying she “negotiates with all our allies.” She and Poroshenko denied plotting against Zelensky, but the meetings fueled speculation of American meddling.
Why Ukraine? Motivations behind the move
Why would a MAGA-aligned network like Newsmax invest in Ukraine now? Several factors suggest this is less about market expansion and more about strategic influence.
Newsmax has historically echoed Trump’s skepticism of aid to Ukraine, portraying it as wasteful and Zelensky as ungrateful. A local channel could promote similar views domestically, questioning Zelensky’s legitimacy and potentially weakening support for continued resistance to peace efforts.
Besides, through the Nemyrias, Newsmax gains a direct line to Timoshenko’s network. If elections canceled by Zelensky resume post-ceasefire, this could amplify her comeback bid. Timoshenko has indicated interest in running, and her populist appeals could resonate in a war-weary Ukraine.
From a MAGA perspective, Trumpworld sees Ukraine as a bargaining chip in US-Russia relations. With content in Russian and English, it could target diaspora audiences and international stakeholders, countering pro-Zelensky media like the Kyiv Independent. Newsmax’s multilingual approach could fill gaps left by sanctioned Russian outlets, while Ruddy’s Trump ties might secure favorable deals in a post-Trump aid landscape.
What to watch next: the telltales
If you want to observe whether Newsmax Ukraine launch is a play of influence, here are some pressure points to watch that could reveal intent:
Who funds production beyond basic operations? Watch out for sponsors, “partners,” foundations, state-linked advertisers.
Guest pipeline. Which Ukrainian politicians, ex-officials, and security figures become regulars?
Distribution. Where the channel lands – cable packages, YouTube reach, Telegram repost networks?
Editorial fingerprints. Watch out for consistent frames on elections, negotiations, corruption, mobilization, and Western aid conditions. How might it cover Timoshenko’s party or Zelensky’s policies?
