European Union countries have reached a political agreement to suspend a visa facilitation agreement with Russia, making it more difficult and expensive for Russian tourists to get visas, but the move falls far short of the blanket ban some leaders are demanding.
E.U. to suspend visa agreement with Russia, but not ban Russian tourists
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the five E.U. countries that share land borders with Russia and the Czech Republic argue that restricting Russian visitors will strengthen E.U. sanctions, improve security and send a message to Russians about the costs of the full-scale invasion.
Opponents, including Germany and France, say that a blanket ban would unfairly punish all Russians. They are concerned that limiting visas will keep Kremlin critics from escaping. And they worry a ban would play to Putin’s hand by lending credence his claims of Western Russophobia.
The E.U.’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said Wednesday that the move was a response to an uptick in tourists from Russia. “We have seen many Russians traveling for leisure and shopping as if no war was raging in Ukraine,” he told reporters in Prague.
The suspension will significantly reduce the number of new visas issued, Borrell said. “It is going to be more difficult, it’s going to be a longer process, consequently, the number of new visitors will be substantially reduced.”
The full suspension of the 2007 visa facilitation agreement, which was partially suspended at the outset of the war, will mean wait times and costs will probably go up for Russian tourists. The cost will reportedly jump from 35 euros to 80 euro, roughly $35 to $85. But holidaying, for many, can continue.
The countries calling for a full or near-blanket ban see the suspension of the facilitation agreement as a modest first step but will be pushing hard for additional measures at the E.U. level.
With flights banned, most Russian tourists are driving to neighboring countries, particularly Finland and Estonia. From there, they are able to travel anywhere in the 26-country visa-free travel zone known as the Schengen area.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis has said that absent an E.U.-wide solution, Russia’s neighbors may team up to reduce the number of tourists entering the bloc.
Lithuania is among several countries, including, Estonia, Latvia and the Czech Republic, that have stopped issuing most short-stay visas to Russian citizens.
Estonia has said it will invalidate previously issued short-stay visas. Latvia is requiring Russian travelers entering with existing visas to sign statements opposing the war with Ukraine — an idea Landsbergis also broached.
Finland, which shares an 830-mile border with Russia, has announced that it will cut the number of visas issued to Russians by 90 percent starting this week.
Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, remain focused on more restrictive measures. “Let them live in their own world until they change their philosophy,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in interview with The Washington Post this month. “This is the only way to influence Putin.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted Wednesday that “Travel to the EU has had zero transformative effect on Russia.”
“Since visa facilitation in 2007, Moscow has attacked Georgia, launched a war on Ukraine, committed multiple crimes — all of it with overwhelming popular support,” he continued. “To transform Russia, shut the door on Russian tourists.”
Source: WP
