EU foreign ministers agree to suspend visa travel deal with Russia
Some European Union members have agreed to suspend a visa travel deal with Moscow, but others want to ban it completely.
In a meeting in Prague, Foreign ministers from the EU nations promised to suspend their 2007 visa facilitation agreement with Russia.
The EU, led by Josep Borrell, found a substantial increase of border crossings from Russia into the EU in July. These crossings have caused Russia’s neighbors to feel secure as well as a security risk to their country.
While some Russian citizens faced sanctions, Russians still visiting Europe for vacations, work, etc.
Borrell said, “We have seen many Russians travelling for leisure and shopping as if no war was raging in Ukraine.” He continued, “Member states considered that we are not business as usual. It cannot be business as usual.”
There was an informal agreement this Wednesday, which needs to be translated into laws. Russians will stop able to acquire a visa from member states, and the number of new travel documents will decrease substantially.
The European Commission is in charge of coming up with guidance for the 12 million existing visas. The Czech foreign minister, Jan Lipavský, admitted that there was no easy fix for this issue.
“We need to think carefully about our next steps,” he told reporters, without explaining further.
The policy will come into effect from April 6, meaning EU states can continue to issue visas for Russians, following France and Germany arguing against a blanket ban.
Some European Union members have agreed to suspend a visa travel deal with Moscow, but others want to ban it completely.
In a meeting in Prague, Foreign ministers from the EU promised to suspend their 2007 visa facilitation agreement with Russia.
The EU, led by Josep Borrell, found a substantial increase of border crossings from Russia into the EU in July. These crossings have caused Russia’s neighbors to feel secure as well as a security risk to their country.
While some Russian citizens faced sanctions, Russians still visiting Europe for vacations, work, etc.
Borrell said, “We have seen many Russians travelling for leisure and shopping as if no war was raging in Ukraine.” He continued, “Member states considered that we are not business as usual. It cannot be business as usual.”
There was an informal agreement this Wednesday, which needs to be translated into laws. Russians will stop able to acquire a visa from member states, and the number of new travel documents will decrease substantially.
The European Commission is in charge of coming up with guidance for the 12 million existing visas. The Czech foreign minister, Jan Lipavský, admitted that there was no easy fix for this issue.
“We need to think carefully about our next steps,” he told reporters, without explaining further.
The policy will come into effect from April 6, meaning EU states can continue to issue visas for Russians, following France and Germany arguing against a blanket ban.
Thousands of Russians left their home country; but, many of them returned when confronted with the reality of migration in the wake of banking sanctions.
Eastern European countries have said that they will pursue regional visa bans if there is not an EU-wide agreement.
Russia’s genocidal war of aggression against Ukraine has wide support within Russia.
EU ministers refused to recognize Russian-occupied Ukrainian passports.
Nearly 1 million Russians have entered the EU via land border crossing points as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.