The Czech Republic, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), thought on Friday (12) that imposing a visa ban on all Russian travelers could be the bloc’s next sanction against Russia.
“The complete freezing of Russian visas by all EU member states could be another very effective sanction,” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said in a statement obtained by AFP. Said.
Lipavsky said he would make the proposal at an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Prague in late August. Ukrainian authorities had to unanimously accept the sanctions, demanding that the EU take this measure that divides the bloc countries.
“In this period of Russian aggression, which the Kremlin continues to intensify, we cannot speak of ordinary tourism for Russian citizens,” Lipavsky said. The Czech Republic has stopped issuing visas to Russians since February 25, the day after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The EU has so far adopted six packages of sanctions against Russia.
In an interview with The Washington Post this week, Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky called for Western countries to ban all Russian citizens from entering.
Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto announced a plan last week to limit tourist visas to Russians.
Also on the border with Russia, Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas urged the EU to stop issuing visas to Russians earlier this week.
“Visiting Europe is a privilege, not a human right,” he wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. Lipavsky said the move would send “a very clear and direct signal to Russian society.”
This shows that the Western world does not tolerate the aggression and hateful rhetoric of the Russian regime against free and democratic countries that do not pose a threat to Russia.
source: Noticias
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