The commissioners cautioned that if Russia participates, they “will examine further action, including the suspension or termination of an ongoing EU grant to the Biennale Foundation,” which organizes the event.
Italy’s Ministry of Culture expressed opposition to the festival’s decision, which was welcomed by Mikhail Shvydkoy, the Kremlin’s special representative for international cultural cooperation, as “proof that Russian culture is not isolated.”
Moscow has attempted to leverage art, culture, and sport as soft-power tools to end its diplomatic isolation on the world stage. Ukraine has urged European and other countries to continue boycotts against Russian cultural figures and institutions.
Martina Sapio contributed to this report.
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