According to Josep Borell, the head of foreign policy for the EU, the bloc’s foreign ministers decided on Wednesday to completely halt a visa-facilitation agreement with Russia. This will make it more difficult and expensive for Russian citizens to enter the EU.
At the conclusion of a two-day meeting of foreign ministers in Prague, he stated at a news conference, ‘We agreed on… full suspension of the European Union-Russia visa facilitation deal.’
‘As a result, the EU member states will grant much fewer new visas. It will be more challenging, and it will take longer.’
According to diplomats, member nations were divided on whether or not to immediately restrict all travel visas for Russians.
Since mid-July, a significant surge in border crossings from Russia into neighbouring states, according to Borrell.
He continued, ‘This has turned into a security problem for these neighbouring states.’ In addition, a lot of Russians have been observed shopping and travelling for pleasure as if there were no ongoing hostilities in Ukraine.
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