Russian tourism into the EU should not be allowed during the Russian war, say some European leaders.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin have both publicly called out the European Union to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens for the time being. Both of their countries border Russia, and are the entry points for Russian tourism into the EU while air traffic is not allowed.
“It is not right that while Russia is waging an aggressive, brutal war of aggression in Europe, Russians can live a normal life, travel in Europe, be tourists,” said PM Marin in a TV interview on Monday. Finland is already limiting the number of tourist visas they issue to Russians, but want the EU to take their side in the matter and stop allowing Russian tourism entirely.
“Stop issuing tourist visas to Russians. Visiting Europe is a privilege, not a human right. Air travel from RU is shut down. It means while Schengen countries issue visas, neighbours to Russia carry the burden (FI, EE, LV – sole access points). Time to end tourism from Russia now,” tweeted PM Kallas on Tuesday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also called for all Western countries to close their borders to Russian travel.
“The most important sanctions are to close the borders because the Russians are in the process of seizing territory from someone else,” he said, and that they must “live in their own world until they change their philosophy.”
“The irrationality of such reasoning goes beyond all limits and can only provoke a negative reaction,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, responding mostly to Zelensky’s remarks. “Any attempt to isolate the Russians or Russia has no chance of succeeding,” he added.
An estimated 2 million Russian tourists visit Finland alone each year.
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