Since 2012, relations between the EU and Russia have worsened steadily. There was a loss of political and cultural trust, which led to the severance of bilateral and multilateral relations in the cultural sector. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian, Belarusian and European cultural network collapsed. Russian and Belarusian artists who oppose the prevailing system are under increasing pressure. They are ostracized in their own country and risk penalties for critical work. In the West, they often find it difficult to continue their work. The ArtMOV association supports such artists through projects and residencies in Austria to strengthen the cultural bridge between East and West.