The attacks with which Russia seeks to conquer Ukrainian territory have caused more and more countries to want to exert pressure through cancellation of visas to Russian citizens.
It is a measure with which several European nations intend to get the Russians to back down from their plans. However, it is not welcomed by all governments.
(Read here: Gas prices increase in Europe after new suspension of Russian supply)
The Baltic countries like latvia, Lithuania Y Poland they stopped issuing visas to Russian tourists just after the invasion began in late February.
Estonia went a step further and prohibited entry even to Russians who already had visas issued by its services and is now trying to do the same with those who have obtained these permits from other EU states.
Finland, the European country with the longest border with Russia, will reduce from September 1 the number of Russian tourist visas to 10% of the thousand they receive daily. But a complete veto by nationality is impossible according to Finnish law.
The measure will have a strong impact. Faced with the closure of EU airspace to flights from Russia, citizens of that country used the land connection with Finland to go to other European countries.
(Also: The car bomb murder of Daria Dúguina, daughter of Putin’s ally)
The position of other European countries
And it is that Ukraine strongly pressures the European Union to veto the entry of Russian tourists to the bloc, but the response has not been unanimous.
A few days ago, President Volodimir Zelensky asked Western countries to close their borders to the Russians, assuring The Washington Post that they should “live in their own world until they change their philosophy.”
Germany and Portugal, for example, see the ban as detrimental to the Russians who disagree with the invasion of Ukraine and believe that a measure like this will be negative for those who opt for these visas to escape from that country.
(Also read: European Union considers creating a training mission for the Ukrainian army)
Greece and Sweden have not taken a position on the matter and Denmark has indicated that it wants to see the European consensus before deciding.
In February, the EU restricted some types of visas for Russians with ties to the Kremlin, including senior officials, people with diplomatic passports and businessmen. But tourist permits have remained in place ever since.
INTERNATIONAL WRITING AND AFP
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