At least 34 Members of the European Parliament have signed a letter demanding the suspension of all EU funding to the Venice Biennale Foundation if Russia's participation proceeds. The letter, addressed to top EU officials, argues that allowing a state under extensive sanctions to participate in an EU-funded event contradicts the bloc's values and weakens its credibility.
The call for defunding escalates a growing international controversy over Russia's planned pavilion at the 2024 Biennale, its first since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The move highlights the intense political pressure on cultural institutions to isolate Russia, with Ukraine's foreign minister and European culture ministers also opposing the participation. The dispute tests the Biennale's role as a platform for global dialogue amidst geopolitical conflict.