The threat from the five member states came ahead of the bloc’s foreign ministers meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue, which has sharply divided the 27-member EU as it seeks to continue punishing Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. In a joint statement seen by the Financial Times, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania asked the European Commission to propose “appropriate visa measures” that would “decisively reduce the flow of Russian citizens to the European Union and the Schengen area”. . “Until such measures are in place at the EU level, we will consider the introduction of temporary measures at the national level in order to address imminent public security issues related to the increased influx of Russian citizens across our borders,” they said. The threat raises the stakes for Wednesday’s debate as Brussels seeks to maintain unity among its members while continuing to punish Russia for its war on Ukraine. “It is our national competence based on the principle of national security to decide on matters of entry into our territory,” Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu told reporters as he arrived for the meeting. About 700,000 Russians have entered the five countries since President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in late February. Most of them are tourists who use the border states as a gateway to travel to western EU countries for holidays. “We believe this could pose a serious threat to public security,” the five countries said in the joint statement which also underlined the need to maintain “exemptions for dissidents as well as other humanitarian cases”. “We must continue to support opponents of the Putin regime and provide them with opportunities to leave Russia,” the statement added. Countries such as Germany and France are opposed to any ban and have warned of “major restrictions on our visa policy”. Instead, they asked the bloc to “carefully check visa applications submitted by Russian nationals for potential security risks.” Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat chairing the foreign minister’s meeting, said on Wednesday that the bloc “cannot afford to look divided”. “We know that there are different positions between different member states,” he said. “I will work for a united position, a common position.”

In the absence of consensus on the ban, foreign ministers will use the meeting in Prague to agree instead to suspend the 2007 visa facilitation agreement with Moscow, which will make Russian visas more expensive, require more documentation and entails longer waiting times. The five countries said the suspension was “a necessary first step” but would not deter them from seeking tougher measures to reduce the number of Russians entering their countries. Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said Riga would wait to see the outcome of the meeting to “see how we move forward”. Russia has condemned proposals for a possible visa ban as “completely groundless”. Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said on Tuesday that the proposed measures were a “collection of absurdities bordering on madness”.

title: “Eastern Eu States Are Threatening Measures To Stem The Cross Border Flow Of Russians Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-12” author: “Sherrie Comee”

The threat from the five member states came ahead of the bloc’s foreign ministers meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue, which has sharply divided the 27-member EU as it seeks to continue punishing Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. In a joint statement seen by the Financial Times, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania asked the European Commission to propose “appropriate visa measures” that would “decisively reduce the flow of Russian citizens to the European Union and the Schengen area”. . “Until such measures are in place at the EU level, we will consider the introduction of temporary measures at the national level in order to address imminent public security issues related to the increased influx of Russian citizens across our borders,” they said. The threat raises the stakes for Wednesday’s debate as Brussels seeks to maintain unity among its members while continuing to punish Russia for its war on Ukraine. “It is our national competence based on the principle of national security to decide on matters of entry into our territory,” Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu told reporters as he arrived for the meeting. About 700,000 Russians have entered the five countries since President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in late February. Most of them are tourists who use the border states as a gateway to travel to western EU countries for holidays. “We believe this could pose a serious threat to public security,” the five countries said in the joint statement which also underlined the need to maintain “exemptions for dissidents as well as other humanitarian cases”. “We must continue to support opponents of the Putin regime and provide them with opportunities to leave Russia,” the statement added. Countries such as Germany and France are opposed to any ban and have warned of “major restrictions on our visa policy”. Instead, they asked the bloc to “carefully check visa applications submitted by Russian nationals for potential security risks.” Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat chairing the foreign minister’s meeting, said on Wednesday that the bloc “cannot afford to look divided”. “We know that there are different positions between different member states,” he said. “I will work for a united position, a common position.”

In the absence of consensus on the ban, foreign ministers will use the meeting in Prague to agree instead to suspend the 2007 visa facilitation agreement with Moscow, which will make Russian visas more expensive, require more documentation and entails longer waiting times. The five countries said the suspension was “a necessary first step” but would not deter them from seeking tougher measures to reduce the number of Russians entering their countries. Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said Riga would wait to see the outcome of the meeting to “see how we move forward”. Russia has condemned proposals for a possible visa ban as “completely groundless”. Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said on Tuesday that the proposed measures were a “collection of absurdities bordering on madness”.

title: “Eastern Eu States Are Threatening Measures To Stem The Cross Border Flow Of Russians Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-03” author: “Nancy Debarros”

The threat from the five member states came ahead of the bloc’s foreign ministers meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue, which has sharply divided the 27-member EU as it seeks to continue punishing Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. In a joint statement seen by the Financial Times, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania asked the European Commission to propose “appropriate visa measures” that would “decisively reduce the flow of Russian citizens to the European Union and the Schengen area”. . “Until such measures are in place at the EU level, we will consider the introduction of temporary measures at the national level in order to address imminent public security issues related to the increased influx of Russian citizens across our borders,” they said. The threat raises the stakes for Wednesday’s debate as Brussels seeks to maintain unity among its members while continuing to punish Russia for its war on Ukraine. “It is our national competence based on the principle of national security to decide on matters of entry into our territory,” Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu told reporters as he arrived for the meeting. About 700,000 Russians have entered the five countries since President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in late February. Most of them are tourists who use the border states as a gateway to travel to western EU countries for holidays. “We believe this could pose a serious threat to public security,” the five countries said in the joint statement which also underlined the need to maintain “exemptions for dissidents as well as other humanitarian cases”. “We must continue to support opponents of the Putin regime and provide them with opportunities to leave Russia,” the statement added. Countries such as Germany and France are opposed to any ban and have warned of “major restrictions on our visa policy”. Instead, they asked the bloc to “carefully check visa applications submitted by Russian nationals for potential security risks.” Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat chairing the foreign minister’s meeting, said on Wednesday that the bloc “cannot afford to look divided”. “We know that there are different positions between different member states,” he said. “I will work for a united position, a common position.”

In the absence of consensus on the ban, foreign ministers will use the meeting in Prague to agree instead to suspend the 2007 visa facilitation agreement with Moscow, which will make Russian visas more expensive, require more documentation and entails longer waiting times. The five countries said the suspension was “a necessary first step” but would not deter them from seeking tougher measures to reduce the number of Russians entering their countries. Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said Riga would wait to see the outcome of the meeting to “see how we move forward”. Russia has condemned proposals for a possible visa ban as “completely groundless”. Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said on Tuesday that the proposed measures were a “collection of absurdities bordering on madness”.

title: “Eastern Eu States Are Threatening Measures To Stem The Cross Border Flow Of Russians Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-22” author: “Bonnie Carpenter”

The threat from the five member states came ahead of the bloc’s foreign ministers meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue, which has sharply divided the 27-member EU as it seeks to continue punishing Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. In a joint statement seen by the Financial Times, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania asked the European Commission to propose “appropriate visa measures” that would “decisively reduce the flow of Russian citizens to the European Union and the Schengen area”. . “Until such measures are in place at the EU level, we will consider the introduction of temporary measures at the national level in order to address imminent public security issues related to the increased influx of Russian citizens across our borders,” they said. The threat raises the stakes for Wednesday’s debate as Brussels seeks to maintain unity among its members while continuing to punish Russia for its war on Ukraine. “It is our national competence based on the principle of national security to decide on matters of entry into our territory,” Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu told reporters as he arrived for the meeting. About 700,000 Russians have entered the five countries since President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in late February. Most of them are tourists who use the border states as a gateway to travel to western EU countries for holidays. “We believe this could pose a serious threat to public security,” the five countries said in the joint statement which also underlined the need to maintain “exemptions for dissidents as well as other humanitarian cases”. “We must continue to support opponents of the Putin regime and provide them with opportunities to leave Russia,” the statement added. Countries such as Germany and France are opposed to any ban and have warned of “major restrictions on our visa policy”. Instead, they asked the bloc to “carefully check visa applications submitted by Russian nationals for potential security risks.” Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat chairing the foreign minister’s meeting, said on Wednesday that the bloc “cannot afford to look divided”. “We know that there are different positions between different member states,” he said. “I will work for a united position, a common position.”

In the absence of consensus on the ban, foreign ministers will use the meeting in Prague to agree instead to suspend the 2007 visa facilitation agreement with Moscow, which will make Russian visas more expensive, require more documentation and entails longer waiting times. The five countries said the suspension was “a necessary first step” but would not deter them from seeking tougher measures to reduce the number of Russians entering their countries. Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said Riga would wait to see the outcome of the meeting to “see how we move forward”. Russia has condemned proposals for a possible visa ban as “completely groundless”. Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said on Tuesday that the proposed measures were a “collection of absurdities bordering on madness”.