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Lithuania Cancels Modern Talking’s Dieter Bohlen Concert After Pro-Russia Comments
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Concerts by German musician Dieter Bohlen, best known as a member of the duo Modern Talking, have been canceled in Lithuania shortly after being announced, LRT reported on March 20.
The 72-year-old singer had been scheduled to perform with his band Blue System at the Švyturys Arena in Klaipėda on November 20 to mark the venue’s 15th anniversary, with another concert planned for November 21 at the Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas.
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However, links to the events were removed from ticket distribution platforms on March 20, and information about the shows is no longer available on the websites of both arenas.
Ticket distributors confirmed to LRT that ticket sales would not proceed.
“Yes, the concert in Kaunas has been canceled. We consulted with the organizers and agreed that such an event should not take place at our arena,” said Mantas Vedrickas, head of event organization at Žalgiris Arena.
The concerts were to be organized by the agency Spark Live, which is also planning a performance this summer in Palanga by Thomas Anders, another former member of Modern Talking.
Although no official reason for the cancellation has been announced, the decision may be linked to excerpts from Bohlen’s recent interviews that circulated online, according to LRT. In those remarks, the musician criticized the deterioration of relations between Germany and Russia, called for purchasing energy resources from Russia, and described Russia and Germany as a “dream team.”
He had previously criticized Western sanctions against Russia three years ago and recently stated that “Ukraine has no chance against Russia.”
Bohlen is not the only Western artist to face scrutiny over perceived ties to Russia, as similar criticism has recently involved American actor and musician Jared Leto. Leto has filed an application to register the trademark “Jared Leto” in Russia, Russian state media reported, citing data from the Russian Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent).
The application was submitted in March 2026. According to the filing, Leto plans to use the trademark for the sale of clothing, footwear, and headwear, as well as for entertainment services, music releases, and film production.
The move follows several controversial statements by the Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman about performing in Russia. During a concert in Belgrade in late 2024, Leto drew criticism after telling an audience with many Russian attendees that he “missed” them and hoped to perform in St. Petersburg and Moscow once “all these problems are finished,” referring to the ongoing full-scale war in Ukraine.
At the same concert, Leto noted the presence of Russian fans in the crowd and said he felt a “lot of Russian energy” in the hall. He told the audience that he planned to return to both Russia and Ukraine, saying, “When all these problems are over, we will come to your homeland,” and also mentioned the possibility of visiting Kyiv.
At the same time, in Lithuania, Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas has
tightening legislation to prevent artists who perform in Russia or Belarus from holding concerts in the country.
Benkunskas suggested amending the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners so that participation in public cultural, entertainment, commercial, or other events in Russia or Belarus after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 could serve as grounds for denying entry into Lithuania.
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