The European Commission has warned the Italian government and the organizers of the Venice Biennale that opening Russia’s national pavilion at the exhibition violates the sanctions regime, the Financial Times reported.

Axar.az informs, citing FT, the Commission’s culture agency wrote to the Biennale’s organizers that by failing to comply with sanctions, the exhibition was calling into question its commitment to EU values.

In a separate letter to the Italian government, the Commission said the Biennale may be benefiting from Russia covering the costs of Russian artists’ participation — which it said appeared to qualify as indirect economic support.