The Venice Biennale, one of the world’s most prominent art exhibitions, is set to host Russia for the first time since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — a move that has sparked widespread criticism across Europe.
Latvia’s Culture Minister Agnese Lāce, who had spearheaded a joint position by 25 European countries calling for Russia’s exclusion, said she will boycott the Biennale’s May 9 opening if Moscow takes part.
In a statement, Latvia’s Ministry of Culture argued that allowing Russia to participate would give “legitimacy through a major European cultural platform supported by European funding” to a sanctioned aggressor state, and warned that individuals linked to the pavilion have ties to Russian state structures and pro-Kremlin narratives.
In a letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Kallas, 37 MEPs also urged the EU to suspend funding — estimated at around €2 million over three years — and consider restrictive measures against individuals linked to the Russian pavilion.
The Biennale has defended its decision, arguing it remains a space for dialogue where art is kept separate from politics. But for a growing number of European policymakers, Russia’s return raises broader questions about whether cultural neutrality is tenable while the war in Ukraine continues.