Sybiha on decision of Venice Biennale jury to resign: Culture of aggressor cannot be neutral during war
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha commented on the situation surrounding the Venice Biennale, specifically the jury’s decision to resign.
Sybiga wrote about this on social media platform X, according to Censor.NET.
Culture cannot be neutral
He noted that recent developments surrounding the Venice Biennale 2026, particularly the jury’s decision to resign, clearly demonstrate the consequences of the steps taken by leading international art platforms.
"The aggressor's culture cannot be neutral during a war. It must not be used to serve the aggressor's interests, whitewash its crimes, or spread propaganda. The timid decision to admit Russia from the very beginning was shameful. Today, we see how it continues to damage the reputation of the Venice Biennale itself," Sybiha noted.
The Venice Biennale should suspend Russia
The minister also thanked everyone who, guided by a sense of moral responsibility and a commitment to democratic values, refuses to accept this disgrace.
"We once again call on the Venice Biennale to reverse its decision and exclude Russia. There is still time to return to the principled stance that the international art community has upheld since the very beginning of Russia’s brutal full-scale war against Ukraine," he added.
What led up to
It was previously reported that the international jury of the 61st Venice Biennale resigned amid escalating controversy over Russia's participation.
- As a reminder, Russia will return to the Venice Biennale for the first time since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
- For its part, the Italian Ministry of Culture stated that the decision to admit Russia to the 61st Venice Biennale was made independently by the Biennale Foundation, despite objections from the Italian government.
- It was also reported that the European Commission may withhold grant funding from the Venice Biennale due to Russia’s admission to the 61st International Art Exhibition.
