Venice Biennale President Calls EU Withdrawal of Funding Over Russia ‘Entirely Political, Certainly Not Legal’
Venice Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco criticized the European Union’s decision to suspend a €2 million ($2.3 million) grant after Russia participated in the Biennale for the first time since the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, calling the move “entirely political, certainly not legal.” Speaking during the opening of the 2026 Venice Film Festival, Buttafuoco said the Biennale would not exclude Russia under political pressure and argued that doing so would amount to censorship, emphasizing the institution’s 131-year commitment to autonomy and freedom of expression. The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) said a legal review found EU funds should support initiatives aligned with democratic values, which it said Russia does not uphold, echoing a European Commission recommendation. Russia’s presence prompted an open letter signed by 22 European politicians and led Ukraine to sanction five Russian cultural figures involved in organizing the pavilion; the European Commission also gave the Biennale 30 days in April to address concerns that the pavilion could help circumvent EU sanctions.
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