Lithuania must stop granting tourist visas to Russians. “In the best case scenario, it should be a decision at European level, which can easily revok the validity of these visas and stop everyone from issuing them,” Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said in Vilnius on Wednesday.
Lithuania has largely suspended the issuance of visas and residence permits to Russians in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This is also the case for the other Baltic states of Latvia and Estonia. Estonia goes one step further and will also close borders for Russian citizens traveling on a Schengen visa issued by Estonia from August 18.
Denmark agrees with the Lithuanian position. Jeppe Kofod, the foreign minister, assured that if there is no European approach, Copenhagen will simply continue alone. “I find it deeply embarrassing that Russian tourists in southern Europe can bask in the sun and live a luxurious life, while Ukrainian cities are being bombed en masse.”
“This is not a war of the Russian people”
Finland also advocates a European approach. Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto announced on Tuesday that his country wants to provide only ten percent of the current number of visas to Russians from September. According to Haavisto, the decision comes because many Russian tourists use Finland and its airport in Helsinki as a gateway to European holiday destinations.
The Czech Republic, which currently holds the presidency of the EU Councils of Ministers, wants to raise the issue at an informal meeting of foreign ministers in Prague at the end of this month. However, the European Commission and Germany are opposed to a fundamental cessation of issuing tourist visas to Russians. “This is not a war of the Russian people, but Putin’s war,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Monday.
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