Gergiev spoke out against the cancellation of Western culture in Russia, Piotrovsky supported him

Valery Gergiev, speaking on 6 June at the SPIEF discussion "Great Cultures: new opportunities for the development of creative interaction between the BRICS countries," addressed the risks of cultural globalisation. He emphasized the integral role of multiple cultures in his profession, asserting the impossibility of cancelling great composers like Bach. He criticized any attempt to erase cultural icons, arguing for the necessity of cultural globalisation rooted in talent and mutual respect.

Gergiev stressed that talent should be the main criterion for accepting cultural phenomena and highlighted the importance of talent over patriotism in the arts. He advocated for globalisation based on human talent and mutual respect.

Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the Hermitage, echoed Gergiev's sentiments. He differentiated between vulgar globalism, driven by commercialism, and cultural sovereignty. Piotrovsky emphasized that cultural sovereignty, rooted in traditional values and historical memory, should contribute to global culture peacefully. He argued that Russian culture is inseparable from world culture and cannot be cancelled.