Russia is participating in the Venice Biennale for the first time since the 2022 Ukraine invasion, sparking protests. Critics argue that cultural events have become entangled with state power and international conflict.

Mark Owen is pleased to welcome Angelo Amante, Reuters correspondent in Rome. Russia has returned to the 2026 edition of the Venice Biennale for the first time since the full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Their presence has triggered protests from activists, artists, and political dissidents who argue that culture itself has become an extension of state power and warfare. We see this collision between art and international conflict with unusual clarity.