Europe splits over ban on Russian tourists

Ukraine is pressuring the EU to bar Russian tourists from entering the bloc, but has met with mixed reactions, with some EU countries agreeing while others opposed.

Some EU states neighboring Russia already ban Russian visa applications or restrict visas issued by their own services, but there is no EU-wide ban.

The issue is set to be discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Prague on August 31, as the 27-nation bloc weighs whether to come to a unified position on short-stay visas for ordinary Russians.

“Russians overwhelmingly support the war, cheering for rocket attacks on Ukrainian cities and (the) murder of Ukrainians. Then let Russian tourists enjoy Russia,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the West to close its borders to Russians, telling the Washington Post to “live in their own world until they change their philosophy”.

An enraged Kremlin responded by calling Kiev’s appeal “irrational” and promising retaliatory measures.

Eastern EU countries Latvia, Lithuania and Poland stopped issuing new tourist visas to Russians as soon as Kremlin forces invaded Ukraine in late February.

Estonia has gone a step further and refused entry to Russians with visas issued by its services. It is also trying to stop Russians getting visas from other EU countries.

Finland, which has Europe’s longest border with Russia, will reduce the number of Russian tourist visa applications processed to just 10 percent of the usual 1,000 per day from September 1. A blanket ban based on an applicant’s nationality is not possible under Finnish law.

This measure will have an effect. Due to EU sanctions blocking European airspace for flights from Russia, Russians had turned massively to the land route through Finland to travel to other European countries.

Russian holidaymakers use Schengen visas, which are normally valid in 26 EU and neighboring countries, including Switzerland and Norway. The visas usually allow stays of up to 90 days in a continuous 180-day period.

These 26 countries received around three million Schengen visa applications last year.

Russians made up the largest group with 536,000, only three percent of their applications were rejected.

Estonia wants EU rules changed so it can stop Russians with Schengen visas, regardless of which EU country issued them.

But Cyrille Bret of think tank Jacques Delors Institute believes an EU-wide ban “has little chance of being passed”, even if national public opinion were in favour.

EU sanctions require unanimity from all 27 member states, and objections have had to be negotiated in recent rounds, particularly from Hungary, which has friendly relations with Moscow.

The Czech Republic – which holds the rotating EU presidency – has taken a nuanced position. It argues “that it is inappropriate for Russian tourists to carry on as usual in times of aggression,” but says it doesn’t support a total ban.

Prague says it wants to continue allowing entry to Russian journalists and other civilians who fear persecution.

This asylum proviso is also generally accepted by countries in favor of a tourist visa ban, including Ukraine.

Germany and Portugal see a total EU ban on tourist visas as harmful to Russians who disagree with the Kremlin and are trying to flee their country.

In February, the EU restricted visas in certain categories for Russians associated with the Kremlin, including civil servants, diplomatic passport holders and company bosses. But tourist visas were still allowed.

Greece and Sweden have not taken a public position on the issue, and Denmark has said it would like to see a European consensus for a decision.

The European Commission acknowledged on Thursday that talks were underway to see if a “coordinated approach” could be reached.

It has stressed the need for humanitarian access for dissident Russians, saying visa applications should be assessed on an individual basis, not according to a blanket rule.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson will visit Finland and Latvia in early September to discuss the matter with the authorities there.