The European Parliament on 29 April 2026 debated the danger of normalising relations with Russia, including its participation in major cultural and sports events, with MEPs sharply divided on whether to maintain exclusion or pursue dialogue. Pekka Toveri (EPP) warned of Russian infiltration through corruption, while Adam Bielan (ECR) argued cultural normalisation repeats past weakness. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (Renew) insisted Russia should return only after the war ends, and Nela Riehl (Greens/EFA) treated the Paralympics and Venice Biennale as cynical acceptance of war. On the other side, Paolo Borchia (PfE) argued sport and culture enable dialogue, Petar Volgin (ESN) saw opposition as ideological intolerance, and Katarína Roth Neveďalová (NI) rejected EU decisions on participation as selective collective punishment. The debate, opened by Vice-President Ewa Kopacz and framed by Glenn Micallef (European Commission), highlighted a fundamental cleavage between those who view Russian participation as never neutral and those who defend neutrality and bridge-building. Micallef noted the Commission warned the Venice Biennale over a €2 million grant and praised Italy's culture minister, but stressed in closing that politicians should not interfere with sports bodies' autonomy. Limited consensus emerged: all sides identified Russia as aggressor and treated sport and culture as politically consequential, but drew opposite conclusions on exclusion. Affected stakeholders include Ukrainian cultural and sports communities, Russian athletes and artists, international federations (IOC, FIFA, World Aquatics), the Venice Biennale, EU member states, and EU institutions.