German Chancellor Olaf Scholz once again spoke out against the ban on EU visas for Russians.
Scholz continues to argue that the war in Ukraine is Putin’s war, not the Russian people’s, and therefore there is no need to restrict the entry of Russians into Europe.
The head of Germany spoke about this on August 15 after a meeting with the leaders of the Nordic countries in Oslo, Zeit Online reports.
What is important for us is that we understand that many people are fleeing Russia because they do not agree with the Russian regime,” he said.
Earlier, as part of the annual press conference, Scholz also noted “Putin’s war.”
According to the chancellor, the EU has already decided on personal sanctions against people from decision-making centers in Moscow, so the German chancellor does not support the idea of a total ban on the entry of Russians into the EU, in particular, for tourism purposes.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in early August called on all Western countries to completely stop issuing visas to Russian citizens and send back to Russia those who are already in the West.
Active discussions are now ongoing in Europe about the possibility of a complete halt in the issuance of Schengen visas to Russians because of the war in Ukraine. The proposal has been formally submitted for discussion; it is expected that it will be considered at a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the end of August.
Several EU countries have already suspended the issuance of tourist visas to Russians. In Estonia, from August 18, an entry ban for Russian citizens with issued national visas will come into effect. The Baltic countries are calling for a complete ban on the issuance of Schengen visas to Russians.
Over the past two weeks, the number of applicants for Schengen visas among Russians has increased by 40%. Experts say there is a “rush of demand” among Russian citizens fueling reports of a possible complete halt to visa issuance.
Most of all, Russians fear that the Schengen procedure will become similar to obtaining a visa to the United States: formally possible, but practically only because of a trip to a third country.
Source: Racurs
