Zelenskyy compares Putin to Hitler, predicts tragic end for Russia
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (photo: Getty Images)
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy compared Russian President Vladimir Putin to German Führer Adolf Hitler, Zelenskyy said.
"We know how it ended for Hitler. We understand how it will end for Putin. Use of sport, music, cinema, and art festivals, such as Venice Biennale, as a weapon never helps," the president said.
He stressed that Russian propaganda is actively spreading even through cultural events and children's content.
"On various cultural platforms – even during children's animation festivals – Russians fill their films with propaganda to indoctrinate their society from a very early age," the head of state noted.
At the same time, Zelenskyy is convinced that such a policy will not bring results.
"I am sure a tragic end awaits their nation," he added.
What is known about the scandal in Venice
On March 4, organizers of Venice Biennale announced that they will allow Russia to take part in the exhibition this year, which will run from May 9 to November 22, for the first time since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
This angered the European Commission, and it threatened to stop funding the exhibition.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine also reacted sharply to information about Russia's participation in the 61st Venice Biennale, saying that such a decision could become "a dangerous signal of support for aggression."
Venice Biennale
It is one of the most prestigious and oldest international exhibitions of contemporary art, founded in 1895. The event is held every two years in Venice and, by its structure, resembles the Olympic Games in the world of culture, where countries present their achievements in their own pavilions.
In addition to the main art project, large festivals of architecture, music, theatre, and cinema are held within the framework of the biennale.
The main purpose of the event is the demonstration of current artistic trends and the exchange of ideas between artists from around the world.
As a result of the exhibition, the best national pavilions and individual authors receive an honorary award – Golden Lion.
Hitler held the Olympics
By way of note, Hitler also actively used cultural and sporting events for propaganda.
The Olympics of 1936 in Berlin became the main instrument of legitimization of the Nazi regime on the international stage.
To impress foreign guests, authorities temporarily removed antisemitic slogans from streets and stopped the open persecution of Jews.
For competitions, a grand stadium for 100,000 seats was built, and the event was broadcast on television for the first time in history, emphasizing the greatness of the Third Reich.
