In the coming days, European leaders will discuss a ban on issuing tourist visas for Russian nationals.
The news of a potential Russia ban comes on top of numerous other European sanctions over the past few months, as a backlash to Russia’s invasion and war against Ukraine.
The Netherlands insists on a ban on issuing tourist visas to the EU for Russians.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country, Wopke Hoekstra, in a commentary to RTL, said that tourists from Russia are not welcome in the EU.
An issue of coordination
The EU’s principle of free movement is usually convenient and fun, but in the case of the Russian invasion, it has proven to be quite the hassle.
While some countries have already decided to stop issuing visas for Russian nationals, others have kept doing it, causing an issue of coordination for the European countries, writes RTL Nieuws.
After all, if you’ve got a visa from one EU country, you’ve got access to them all.
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Several EU countries (including, recently, the Netherlands) have therefore been advocating for an EU-wide ban on Russian tourists. The issue will be discussed among top EU leaders this week in Prague, Czech Republic.
The Dutch deputy prime minister, Wopke Hoekstra, says that the main goal of the talks is to increase European unity in the Russia-Ukraine situation. To make sure that the EU has a collected front and a coordinated strategy toward Russia, a collective visa plan is necessary.
Not intended to punish ordinary Russians
An estimated 1 million Russians have travelled across the EU border since the war started, and banning more from entering will have huge consequences.
The ban is not, however, directly designed to punish regular Russian citizens. Most Russians coming here are closely affiliated with the Russian regime, Mr. Hoekstra stated to RTL Nieuws. That’s the demographic many European countries now want to keep out.
Some hesitance
Not all EU countries are on board, however. This is because they fear that the isolationistic attitude toward regular Russians will become the norm.
There is also some concern about the opportunities for Russian dissidents of the regime, who wish to find a safer life in Europe. So, the situation is much more complicated than deciding whether to let Russian nationals visit a country or not.
It is still uncertain whether a visa ban agreement will be concluded in the EU this week, and what shape such an agreement might take.
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This needs to happen. People that are supporting bloody regime of Putin needs to stay away from civilized world. Even today, there are many russians in the Netherlands who openly support dictator and war in Ukraine, they need to be reminded that nazism will not be brought back again and they need to wake up or go home.
Russia is not at war with any EU country. This proposal is absurd. What’s hoped to be achieved? If the goal is somehow to show support for Ukraine the logical thing to do would be to have even more Russians come here; if they are here they’re not in Ukraine fighting. Simple as that.
That is so stupid
That is completely racist move by E.U it will back fired like all sanctions impose on Russia, special for countries like Portugal Greece which depend on tourism revenue other nations won’t see this with good eyes punish common citizens its just sick… I don’t remember any punishment for the invasion of Iraq lybia Serbia Syria by NATO millions die… each day E.U gets lower and lower no pride being part of E.U anymore in fact its a shame a bunch of racist unelected E.U leaders