Lithuania Considers Entry Ban for Artists Who Perform in Russia or Belarus

In Lithuania, Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas has addressed the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defense with a proposal to amend legislation so that artists who perform in Russia and Belarus would be prohibited from staging concerts in Lithuania, according to LRT on February 23.

Benkunskas is calling for changes to the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners to establish that participation in public cultural, entertainment, commercial, or other activities in Russia and Belarus after the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 would serve as legal grounds for denying entry into Lithuania.

“Just the recent cases in Vilnius—rappers Morgenshtern and Gio Pika—show that we do not have an effective mechanism to protect Lithuania’s information and cultural space from individuals sympathetic to the Kremlin regime,” Benkunskas wrote in his letter.

He also argued that since event organizers are largely driven by financial interests, nationwide legal instruments are required to curb the spread of hostile states’ soft power within Lithuania.

The debate over restricting performers linked to Russia follows earlier action taken by Lithuanian authorities.

In November 2025, Lithuania imposed a 10-year entry ban on Russian rapper Morgenshtern, citing national security risks, the Kyiv Independent reported. The artist, whose real name is Alisher Valeyev, had been due to perform in Vilnius later that month.

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Commenting on the decision, Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas expressed support, stating that the capital is “not a guest house for Putin worshippers.” He also pointed out that the planned show would have marked Morgenshtern’s third concert in Vilnius since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“Previously, appeals were made to the awareness and responsibility of event organizers, but it changed nothing,” Benkunskas said. “Finally, Lithuania said ‘stop’ to this.”

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed decrees, putting into effect a decision by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council to introduce additional sanctions against individuals and organizations involved in supporting Russia’s war of aggression.

The measures target 20 Russian public figures—including actors, athletes, and musicians—who have publicly backed the war or have close connections to already sanctioned entities.

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