# EU to restrict travel rules for Russians, split on how far to go Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-08-31 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: EU foreign policy chief urges unity on travel restrictions Meta Description: Bickering nations within the EU face division over visa bans and tourism restrictions for Russian citizens in the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion. URL: https://financedigest.com/eu-to-restrict-travel-rules-for-russians-split-on-how-far-to-gohtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-08-31t092111z2lynxmpei7u0a5rtroptp4eu-parliament-1736815329798-compressed.jpg) By Sabine Siebold and Robert Muller PRAGUE (Reuters) -The EU’s foreign policy chief on Wednesday urged bickering nations to settle their differences on restricting travel for Russian citizens, saying Europe must remain united vis-a-vis Moscow six months after the invasion of Ukraine. Josep Borrell made his warning as foreign ministers of the European Union gathered in Prague for a second day of talks, where they were expected to agree in principle on suspending a visa facilitation agreement with Russia. That step would make Russians wait longer, and pay more, for [travel visas to EU countries](https://www.financedigest.com/best-countries-to-travel-to.html "Best countries to travel to"). But the 27 member states were divided on whether they should go further and impose a blanket tourism ban, despite repeated calls from Ukraine to make ordinary [Russians pay](https://www.financedigest.com/some-russians-mourn-queen-elizabeth-with-flowers-as-kremlin-pays-respects.html "Some Russians mourn Queen Elizabeth with flowers as Kremlin pays respects") for the invasion. Some EU states have already [restricted entry for Russians](https://www.financedigest.com/russia-blocks-facebook-accusing-it-of-restricting-access-to-russian-media.html "Russia blocks Facebook, accusing it of restricting access to Russian media"). Eastern and Nordic countries are pushing for an outright ban, while [Germany and France have warned](https://www.financedigest.com/germany-warns-its-delegation-of-egyptian-spies-at-cop27.html "Germany warns its delegation of Egyptian spies at COP27") their peers it would be counter-productive. We will have to [reach an agreement and a political decision,” Borrell told reporters](https://www.financedigest.com/plywood-market-to-reach-a-valuation-of-us-115-bn-by-2028-comprehensive-research-report-by-fmi.html "Plywood Market to reach a valuation of US$ 115 Bn by 2028 – Comprehensive Research Report by FMI") in Prague. “We cannot afford to appear disunited in such an important thing.” EASTERN [STATES MAY IMPOSE BAN](https://www.financedigest.com/u-s-abortion-ruling-ignites-legal-battles-over-state-bans.html "U.S. abortion ruling ignites legal battles over state bans") Some eastern states have said they will press ahead with a [visa ban themselves if there is no EU agreement](https://www.financedigest.com/visa-has-terminated-global-debit-card-agreements-with-ftx.html "Visa has terminated global debit card agreements with FTX"). An outright ban would send “a very clear message to Russian citizens that while Ukrainian citizens are dying, they are not welcome to come to Europe”, said Latvian [Foreign Minister](https://www.financedigest.com/james-cleverly-to-remain-uk-foreign-minister-statement.html "James Cleverly to remain UK foreign minister – statement") Edgars Rinkevics. “I don’t take seriously the argument that by visiting Europe, Russians will learn a lot how to change their country.” Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland have called in a joint statement for EU-wide measures to “decisively decrease the [flow of Russian](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-russian-gas-flow-too-low-to-fill-europes-storage.html "Analysis – Russian gas flow too low to fill Europe’s storage") citizens into the European Union”, the Financial Times reported. Until such [measures are in place on the EU level, we will consider setting up temporary measures on the national](https://www.financedigest.com/national-cinemedia-releases-first-cinema-attention-measurement-study-conducted-by-lumen-in-collaboration-with-dentsu.html "National CineMedia releases first cinema attention measurement study, conducted by Lumen in collaboration with dentsu") level,” the newspaper quoted them as saying. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also pushed for tougher measures, telling Reuters that a visa ban was “an appropriate response to [Russia’s genocidal war](https://www.financedigest.com/russia-sharply-scales-back-far-east-war-games-with-china.html "Russia sharply scales back Far East war games with China") of aggression in the heart of Europe supported by an overwhelming majority of Russian citizens. But the tone in Prague, overall, was to try and agree a common position. Rinkevics said Latvia would [wait a bit for tougher EU steps and hoped for an agreement on Wednesday on a “road map” for lowering](https://www.financedigest.com/dollar-edges-lower-as-investors-wait-on-feds-powell.html "Dollar edges lower as investors wait on Fed’s Powell") the number of Russian tourists in the EU. An EU official said the Czech Republic, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, proposed that the ministers [agree on a suspension of the visa facilitation agreement as a first step](https://www.financedigest.com/sovereign-debtors-creditors-agree-on-steps-to-jumpstart-debt-restructurings.html "Sovereign debtors, creditors agree on steps to jumpstart debt restructurings") and that more should follow. The Czech [foreign minister suggested that any later discussions on a tourism](https://www.financedigest.com/foreign-tourism-to-portugal-surpasses-pre-covid-levels-in-july.html "Foreign tourism to Portugal surpasses pre-COVID levels in July") visa ban could focus first on the bloc’s land borders with Russia, the official said. More than one million [Russian citizens have entered the bloc through land border crossing points since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-grants-citizenship-to-top-russian-journalist-who-denounced-war.html "Ukraine grants citizenship to top Russian journalist who denounced war"), most of them via Finland and Estonia, the bloc’s border agency Frontex said. (Additional reporting by Jan Lopatka, Jason Hovet and Nart Meijer; Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Robert Birsel and John Chalmers) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---