On Tuesday 5 May, the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Henna Virkkunen, threatened the Venice Biennale with the suspension of the subsidy it receives from the EU, after the latter authorised Russia to take part in its 2026 edition (see EUROPE 13853/8).
“If the breach of €2 million grant is confirmed, we will not hesitate to suspend or terminate it. Because European taxpayers money should safeguard democratic values and diversity and these values we know they are not respected in today’s Russia”, she warned the media.
The European Commission has already sent two letters to the Biennale asking for explanations about Russia’s participation, given the lack of respect for the ethical values that must be respected under the subsidy agreement.
Henna Virkkunen also pointed out that the Biennale opened on Saturday 9 May, Europe Day, “a day to celebrate peace, not one for Russia to shine at the Biennale”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant and Ana Pisonero Hernández)