The Twenty-Seven must not show their disagreement over a possible EU-wide ban on tourist visas for Russians, the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell demanded on Wednesday, urging member states to find common ground.
“We have to come to an agreement and a political decision,” said Josep Borrell upon his arrival on the second and final day of a foreign ministers’ meeting in Prague.
“I will work for unity (…) We cannot allow ourselves to appear divided on such an important issue, namely the relationship between (…) Russian society and the European people,” he added EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs.
The Czech EU Presidency brought together the heads of diplomacy of the 27 to discuss new sanctions against Russia, six months after the start of the invasion of Ukraine.
The proposal, also requested by the Ukrainian authorities, by several member states bordering Russia to completely ban the issuing of tourist visas to Russian nationals, has drawn fierce opposition from several countries, including France and Germany.
However, the participants in the meeting seem inclined to find a compromise.
“I think it will be more effective if we can take decisions between European countries together,” said Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, whose country is among the supporters of a total ban.
For her part, the head of German diplomacy, Annalena Baerbock, warned: “We can be strong together, but only if we think like Europeans without retreating into nationalist shells”.
According to the Financial Times, the member states that support the ban – the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), as well as Finland and Poland, all of which share a land border with Russia – have issued a joint statement to the Commission calling for action to ” to drastically reduce the flow of Russian citizens into the European Union and the Schengen area”.
“Until such measures are in force at EU level, we will consider introducing temporary regulations at national level,” they announced, according to the British business daily.
A European diplomatic source said on Monday that disagreements over a ban were too deep to allow consensus, but said a compromise could be found on a suspension of the Russia-Europe visa facilitation agreement, with aiming to result in a more complicated, lengthy and costly procedure for Russian citizens.