Eu Foreign Ministers Agree To Suspend Travel Visa Deal With Russia European Union

Meeting in Prague, the EU’s 27 foreign ministers vowed to suspend the 2007 visa facilitation agreement with Russia, which makes it relatively easy to obtain travel documents. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said there had been a “substantial increase in border crossings” from Russia to the EU since mid-July, which he described as a “risk for the security of these neighboring states”. While the EU had already suspended the visa facilitation agreement for officials and businessmen immediately after the Russian attack on Ukraine in February, ordinary Russians could continue to come to the EU for holidays or other reasons. “We have seen many Russians traveling for leisure and shopping as if there was no war raging in Ukraine,” Borel said. “Member states felt that we were not operating as usual. It cannot be business as usual.” The informal agreement reached on Wednesday has yet to be translated into EU law and it was not immediately clear when the suspension would take effect. Borel said it would become more difficult and take longer for Russians to obtain a visa from an EU member state and the number of new travel documents would be “significantly” reduced. The European Commission has been tasked with presenting guidelines on the stockpile of 12 million existing visas for Russians. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky acknowledged there was no quick fix. “There are a number of ways forward and we can’t answer that right away,” he said, without elaborating. The common policy will mean EU member states will be able to continue issuing visas to Russians after France and Germany argued against a blanket ban. Tens of thousands of Russians fled their country after the invasion, though some returned when faced with the realities of immigration at a time of banking sanctions, as well as strained family ties. Some eastern EU states had said they would seek a regional visa ban if there was no EU-level deal. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, had also pushed for a tough response, telling Reuters the visa ban was “an appropriate response to Russia’s aggressive genocidal war in the heart of Europe supported by the vast majority of Russian citizens”. EU ministers agreed not to recognize passports issued by Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, nearly 1 million Russians have entered the EU through land border crossing points, according to the border agency Frontex. Most arrived from Finland and Estonia and held visas, residence permits or dual citizenship. They are believed to have been using alternative routes after European skies were closed to almost all Russian planes as part of EU sanctions.

title: “Eu Foreign Ministers Agree To Suspend Travel Visa Deal With Russia European Union Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-30” author: “Michael Thomas”

Meeting in Prague, the EU’s 27 foreign ministers vowed to suspend the 2007 visa facilitation agreement with Russia, which makes it relatively easy to obtain travel documents. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said there had been a “substantial increase in border crossings” from Russia to the EU since mid-July, which he described as a “risk for the security of these neighboring states”. While the EU had already suspended the visa facilitation agreement for officials and businessmen immediately after the Russian attack on Ukraine in February, ordinary Russians could continue to come to the EU for holidays or other reasons. “We have seen many Russians traveling for leisure and shopping as if there was no war raging in Ukraine,” Borel said. “Member states felt that we were not operating as usual. It cannot be business as usual.” The informal agreement reached on Wednesday has yet to be translated into EU law and it was not immediately clear when the suspension would take effect. Borel said it would become more difficult and take longer for Russians to obtain a visa from an EU member state and the number of new travel documents would be “significantly” reduced. The European Commission has been tasked with presenting guidelines on the stockpile of 12 million existing visas for Russians. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky acknowledged there was no quick fix. “There are a number of ways forward and we can’t answer that right away,” he said, without elaborating. The common policy will mean EU member states will be able to continue issuing visas to Russians after France and Germany argued against a blanket ban. Tens of thousands of Russians fled their country after the invasion, though some returned when faced with the realities of immigration at a time of banking sanctions, as well as strained family ties. Some eastern EU states had said they would seek a regional visa ban if there was no EU-level deal. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, had also pushed for a tough response, telling Reuters the visa ban was “an appropriate response to Russia’s aggressive genocidal war in the heart of Europe supported by the vast majority of Russian citizens”. EU ministers agreed not to recognize passports issued by Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, nearly 1 million Russians have entered the EU through land border crossing points, according to the border agency Frontex. Most arrived from Finland and Estonia and held visas, residence permits or dual citizenship. They are believed to have been using alternative routes after European skies were closed to almost all Russian planes as part of EU sanctions.

title: “Eu Foreign Ministers Agree To Suspend Travel Visa Deal With Russia European Union Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-12” author: “Sharon Guebert”

Meeting in Prague, the EU’s 27 foreign ministers vowed to suspend the 2007 visa facilitation agreement with Russia, which makes it relatively easy to obtain travel documents. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said there had been a “substantial increase in border crossings” from Russia to the EU since mid-July, which he described as a “risk for the security of these neighboring states”. While the EU had already suspended the visa facilitation agreement for officials and businessmen immediately after the Russian attack on Ukraine in February, ordinary Russians could continue to come to the EU for holidays or other reasons. “We have seen many Russians traveling for leisure and shopping as if there was no war raging in Ukraine,” Borel said. “Member states felt that we were not operating as usual. It cannot be business as usual.” The informal agreement reached on Wednesday has yet to be translated into EU law and it was not immediately clear when the suspension would take effect. Borel said it would become more difficult and take longer for Russians to obtain a visa from an EU member state and the number of new travel documents would be “significantly” reduced. The European Commission has been tasked with presenting guidelines on the stockpile of 12 million existing visas for Russians. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky acknowledged there was no quick fix. “There are a number of ways forward and we can’t answer that right away,” he said, without elaborating. The common policy will mean EU member states will be able to continue issuing visas to Russians after France and Germany argued against a blanket ban. Tens of thousands of Russians fled their country after the invasion, though some returned when faced with the realities of immigration at a time of banking sanctions, as well as strained family ties. Some eastern EU states had said they would seek a regional visa ban if there was no EU-level deal. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, had also pushed for a tough response, telling Reuters the visa ban was “an appropriate response to Russia’s aggressive genocidal war in the heart of Europe supported by the vast majority of Russian citizens”. EU ministers agreed not to recognize passports issued by Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, nearly 1 million Russians have entered the EU through land border crossing points, according to the border agency Frontex. Most arrived from Finland and Estonia and held visas, residence permits or dual citizenship. They are believed to have been using alternative routes after European skies were closed to almost all Russian planes as part of EU sanctions.

title: “Eu Foreign Ministers Agree To Suspend Travel Visa Deal With Russia European Union Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-25” author: “Betty Trower”

Meeting in Prague, the EU’s 27 foreign ministers vowed to suspend the 2007 visa facilitation agreement with Russia, which makes it relatively easy to obtain travel documents. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said there had been a “substantial increase in border crossings” from Russia to the EU since mid-July, which he described as a “risk for the security of these neighboring states”. While the EU had already suspended the visa facilitation agreement for officials and businessmen immediately after the Russian attack on Ukraine in February, ordinary Russians could continue to come to the EU for holidays or other reasons. “We have seen many Russians traveling for leisure and shopping as if there was no war raging in Ukraine,” Borel said. “Member states felt that we were not operating as usual. It cannot be business as usual.” The informal agreement reached on Wednesday has yet to be translated into EU law and it was not immediately clear when the suspension would take effect. Borel said it would become more difficult and take longer for Russians to obtain a visa from an EU member state and the number of new travel documents would be “significantly” reduced. The European Commission has been tasked with presenting guidelines on the stockpile of 12 million existing visas for Russians. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky acknowledged there was no quick fix. “There are a number of ways forward and we can’t answer that right away,” he said, without elaborating. The common policy will mean EU member states will be able to continue issuing visas to Russians after France and Germany argued against a blanket ban. Tens of thousands of Russians fled their country after the invasion, though some returned when faced with the realities of immigration at a time of banking sanctions, as well as strained family ties. Some eastern EU states had said they would seek a regional visa ban if there was no EU-level deal. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, had also pushed for a tough response, telling Reuters the visa ban was “an appropriate response to Russia’s aggressive genocidal war in the heart of Europe supported by the vast majority of Russian citizens”. EU ministers agreed not to recognize passports issued by Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, nearly 1 million Russians have entered the EU through land border crossing points, according to the border agency Frontex. Most arrived from Finland and Estonia and held visas, residence permits or dual citizenship. They are believed to have been using alternative routes after European skies were closed to almost all Russian planes as part of EU sanctions.