The Kremlin accused the European Commission of attempting to “cancel” Russian culture after the EU announced plans to cut funding for one of the continent’s most prestigious cultural platforms.
Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen announced Saturday that she had asked the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) to terminate the Venice Biennale’s €2 million EU grant, as culture in Europe should promote democratic values — something “not respected in today’s Russia.”
“As regards the Venice Biennale, I can only express regret over ongoing attempts to cancel our culture in other countries,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian state-controlled news agency TASS on Monday.
Organizers of the prestigious art exhibition, open from May to November, allowed Russia to open its pavilion for three days in a controversial move that turned this year’s edition into a contentious political discussion across Europe.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government opposed the decision to let Moscow participate, but some in her coalition have been critical of the EU’s position.
The League called Commissioner Virkkunen’s intervention “unacceptable … Even before any concrete evidence is found — if indeed there is any — to justify this decision.”
“Culture cannot be censored, and artists are not soldiers,” added Veneto president and party leader hopeful Luca Zaia.
The opposition’s 5Star Movement has also expressed solidarity with Moscow, according to Italian daily La Repubblica, fueling a debate that could become a headache for Meloni as she prepares for elections in 2027.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas had called on the EU to slash funding for the Biennale in April. On Saturday, the European Commission reiterated that position. The commission’s recommendation to the EACEA is not yet final.