Germany terminates cultural agreement with Russia by June 2027

The Federal Republic of Germany is terminating the agreement with Russia regarding the activities of cultural and information centers. By verbal note dated September 1, 2026, the government of the Russian Federation was informed that the validity of the treaty ends effective June 7, 2027. The official announcement from the Federal Foreign Office dated September 3, 2026, was published in the Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt) Part II No. 205 on September 9, 2026.

The Legal Framework

The subject is the agreement of February 4, 2011, between the government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the government of the Russian Federation on the activities of cultural and information centers, published in BGBl. 2013 II p. 1355, 1356. The termination is carried out by the Federal Government via a verbal note—an informal diplomatic note without a signature—which was delivered to the government in Moscow.

The announcement is dated September 3, 2026, and was signed in Berlin by the Federal Foreign Office. It was signed on behalf of Dr. Julia Monar. The publisher of the gazette is the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection.

What the Termination Means

With the expiration of the agreement, the contractual basis for the operation of the mutual cultural and information centers ceases to exist. This particularly affects the facilities operating on this basis in both countries:

• the Goethe-Institutes in Russia,
• the Russian cultural and information centers in Germany,
• the associated language, cultural, and information services.

The notice period runs until June 7, 2027, meaning that operations can continue on the previous legal basis until that time. The termination is a significant step in the bilateral relations between Berlin and Moscow.

Classification and Impact

The 2011 agreement had created the legal framework for the exchange of cultural and information centers and was considered a supporting pillar of cultural cooperation. With the termination, the Federal Government is sending a clear signal in its relationship with Russia that extends beyond the purely cultural sphere.

For the affected institutions and their employees, the termination means a phase of uncertainty regarding the future of their locations and programs. The deadline until June 2027 leaves room for transitional arrangements, about which nothing is officially known so far. The announcement itself contains no information regarding successor or transitional agreements.

Source: Federal Law Gazette, Part II No. 205 of September 9, 2026, p. 1355 ff. (official reference: BGBl. 2026 II No. 205).