Kyiv has formally protested plans to allow Russia to participate in the upcoming Venice Biennale art festival, with Ukrainian ministers denouncing the move as unacceptable and calling for a reversal of the decision. The protest, lodged Sunday in a joint statement from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Culture Minister Tetiana Berezhna, marks a significant escalation in Ukraine’s opposition to Russia’s inclusion in international cultural events.
The Ukrainian ministers argued that admitting Russian artists to the Biennale sends a “dangerous signal of support for aggression, tolerance of Russian war crimes and the normalisation of the Russian occupiers’ genocidal policy,” according to the statement. They specifically referenced Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, which began with a full-scale invasion in February 2022, and its continued rejection of peace efforts.
“This proves incomprehensible to us why this position is changing now, when Russia refuses to stop the war, rejects peace efforts and dialogue, and instead continues to rely on terror and atrocities,” the statement read. The ministers emphasized the need to protect the cultural sector from what they described as Russian war propaganda, asserting that there is no justification for lifting restrictions on Russian participation.
The protest follows reports that the Venice Biennale is considering reopening the Russian pavilion for the first time since the 2022 invasion. Ukraine’s objections echo concerns raised by Latvia’s Foreign Minister, who as well criticized the Biennale’s decision, according to reports. Ukrainian officials highlighted Russia’s systematic targeting of Ukrainian culture and heritage since 2014, with a marked increase in attacks following the full-scale invasion.
The joint statement detailed the extent of the damage, noting that Russian forces have illegally removed at least 35,482 museum artifacts from occupied Ukrainian territories, and that over 2.1 million cultural items remain at risk of destruction or illegal transfer. The Ukrainian government estimates direct damage to the country’s cultural sector exceeds $4.2 billion, with overall losses exceeding $31 billion.
The ministers stressed that excluding Russia from international cultural platforms is essential for preserving neutrality and preventing the politicization of art. They argued that allowing Russia to participate risks turning the Biennale into a platform for legitimizing war crimes. The call for reconsideration urges the Biennale’s organizers to maintain the principled stance they demonstrated in 2022-2024, when Russia’s participation was suspended in response to the invasion.
As of Sunday, the Venice Biennale had not publicly responded to the Ukrainian ministers’ protest. The Biennale is scheduled to open in April.
