The Venice Biennale has announced it will continue to include Russia in its events despite the European Union's suspension of funding over political concerns. President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco criticized the decision as ‘entirely political, certainly not legal.’

Buttafuoco’s statement came at the opening of the 2026 Venice Film Festival, highlighting that EU funding constitutes only a small portion of the Biennale's budget and emphasizing the importance of supporting projects unrelated to Russia.

The European Union confirmed it will suspend a €2 million grant, citing Russia’s alleged failure to uphold democratic values. This decision echoes earlier recommendations from the European Commission, which suggested that 'diversity and freedom of expression' are not respected in today's Russia. The Biennale has faced criticism for its stance on Russian participation since early May.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin denounced what it sees as an attempt to censor their culture, with TASS reporting: ‘As regards the Venice Biennale, I can only express regret over ongoing attempts to cancel our culture in other countries.’