Political split on Russia
- Italian deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini argued culture should remain separate from politics in Venice. - Salvini publicly opposed calls to exclude Russia, saying cultural exchange should not be politicized. - His stance is part of a split European reaction to the Russian Pavilion controversy. ( )
Matteo Salvini has broken with part of Europe over Russia’s return to the 2026 Venice Biennale, saying art and culture should not be turned into a political fight. (politico.eu) (lapresse.us) Speaking to reporters in March and again this week, the Italian deputy prime minister said the Biennale is an autonomous body and argued that sport, art, music, theater and cinema should bring people together rather than deepen conflict. He also said the Russian pavilion is owned by Russia and lies outside the control of the Biennale or the Italian state, as long as sanctions are respected. (lapresse.us) (rt.com) The clash comes before the 61st International Art Exhibition opens on May 9, 2026 and runs through November 22. On March 4, the Biennale confirmed Russia among 99 participating nations, its first official presence since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. (abcnews.com) (politico.eu) Latvia has led the pushback. On March 10, ministers from 22 countries signed a joint letter urging the Biennale to reconsider Russia’s participation, and on April 21 European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc intends to cut funding over the decision. (km.gov.lv) (politico.eu) The argument is now splitting Italy as well as Europe. Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli has said the foundation acted independently despite the government’s opposition, ordered an investigation into whether Russia’s participation complies with European Union sanctions, and removed a ministry official from the Biennale board. (abcnews.com) (politico.eu) The Biennale has defended its position by saying it does not choose national participation and rejects “any form of exclusion or censorship of culture and art.” President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco has described the exhibition as “a space of truce” where art prevails over geopolitics. (politico.eu) (artnews.com) Russia’s pavilion had been closed in 2022 after artists Kirill Savchenkov and Alexandra Sukhareva and curator Raimundas Malašauskas withdrew after the invasion. In 2024, Russia loaned its Giardini pavilion to Bolivia instead of mounting its own national show. (artnews.com) (abcnews.com) This year’s Russian exhibition is titled “The Tree is Rooted in the Sky,” and Russian official Mikhail Shvydkoy has cast it as proof that Russian culture is not isolated. Opponents say giving Moscow a national platform while the war continues turns a major art event into a stage for state legitimacy. (artnews.com) (km.gov.lv) Salvini’s line puts him with the Biennale leadership and against Latvia, Kallas and Italy’s own culture minister. The opening on May 9 now looks set to test whether Venice can keep calling itself neutral while Europe argues over Russia in plain view. (politico.eu) (ansa.it)
