Lithuania opposes russia's participation in the Venice Biennale
A coalition of 22 European countries, joined by Lithuania, officially appealed to the organizers of the Venice Biennale, demanding that russia be banned from participating in this prestigious international art event. This position was strongly supported by the European Commission in a separate statement. Representatives of the European Commission warned that €2 million in EU funding for the Biennale could be withdrawn if the aggressor's participation is not cancelled, to prevent any attempts to normalize the aggressor's status through cultural and artistic platforms.
"For four years now, russia has been waging a brutal and widespread war against the independent state of Ukraine. Every day and night, cities are being destroyed by rockets and bombs, civilian infrastructure is being destroyed, and innocent people are dying. Under such circumstances, culture cannot be used as a cover or a tool to create an illusion of normality. Culture must be a space for solidarity and the defence of human dignity, not a stage for improving the image of a state that is clearly violating international law and taking civilian lives every day," says Minister of Culture Vaida Aleknavičienė.
In their official appeal, a coalition of 22 countries emphasizes that making concessions to a state that disregards international law and humanity is, at the very least, unethical and directly contradicts the values declared by the event itself. The document stresses that the international community must prevent attempts to exploit prestigious cultural platforms for regime propaganda and must demonstrate genuine solidarity with Ukraine. Both documents send an unambiguous message to the organizers of the Venice Biennale: the representation of a country that continues its aggression in Ukraine in such formats will have serious consequences, including the loss of EU funding.
Lithuania, together with other coalition members, will continue to closely monitor the situation and actively defend the position that there is no place for an aggressor in the international cultural space.
Photo by Gintarė Grigėnaitė
Last updated: 13-03-2026