Meeting of Foreign Ministers: No more easy entry for Russians

Russian citizens should no longer be able to enter the EU so easily. The foreign ministers agreed on that. They were not unanimous: some wanted to stop issuing visas, others did not want to cut all connections.

The negotiations were difficult, and agreement on one point only emerged around noon: Russian citizens should no longer be able to enter the European Union as easily as before. “Business as usual” is no longer possible after six months of war against Ukraine, said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. He spoke for all 27 member countries.

Significantly more Russians have entered the country since July

For years, “business as usual” was an agreement on easier visa allocation. It is now to be fully suspended. For travelers from Russia, this means that they will have to wait longer for a residence permit in the future. The embassies and consulates of the EU countries can decide for themselves how long, they can also increase the cost of a visa.

As justification, Borrell said that significantly more Russians had crossed the border into neighboring countries since mid-July – that was a security risk. The EU foreign policy chief also considers it a problem that Russian travelers go on holiday and shop in the West as if there were no war in Ukraine.

Baltic countries demanded a sharper answer

The Baltic countries wanted to push through a much tougher response. Estonia’s Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu had called for a complete stop to issuing visas to Russians. “We’re talking about the Russian attack on Ukraine, and Estonia’s position is very clear: the price for Putin’s aggression must be increased immediately. We need a ban on all Russians entering the European Union.” But most of the other EU countries see it differently. Many think it sends the wrong signal to the people of Russia when Europe cuts off all contacts with an entry ban and blames the population for the war.

Baerbock: Not with the lawn mower

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock made it clear that it must continue to be possible for scientists and students, for example, but also for journalists and other people who want to maintain contact with the West to enter the country. “We have also experienced – and that’s why it’s not so easy to say, we’re going over it with the lawn mower – that there were moments when the people who bravely stood up had the opportunity via this Schengen visa had to get out of Russia very quickly.”

Baerbock agreed to the more difficult entry conditions. In a compromise paper, she asserted that there was no complete stop to travel opportunities. The critics of the regime should not be left in the lurch. “We need these people, the courageous voices who dare to stand up against the Russian regime even after six months of war.”

What about the visas that have already been issued?

How to deal with the visas that have already been issued and are valid for Russians has not yet been clarified – the number is estimated at ten to twelve million. The Baltic countries would like to challenge them completely. The EU Commission now has the task of solving the problem.