Kanye West could meet Russian President Vladimir Putin when the American rapper travels to St Petersburg for two concerts in October, according to senior Russian lawmaker Svetlana Zhurova.
The State Duma International Affairs Committee deputy chair said such a meeting was theoretically possible, noting Putin has previously received prominent international celebrities, although scheduling, security and health protocols would need to be accommodated.
Concert organiser Anna Subcheva has claimed West, who now goes by Ye, has long wanted to meet the Russian leader and has expressed admiration for him. The October 10 and 11 performances will be West’s first concerts in Russia, although he visited Moscow in 2024.
The shows follow cancellations and restrictions elsewhere in Europe stemming from the rapper’s controversial remarks about Jews, Adolf Hitler and Nazism, for some of which he has subsequently apologised. Demand for the St Petersburg dates has reportedly been strong, with VIP tickets selling out within two hours.
