The EU-European Union held a meeting of foreign ministers and agreed to suspend the implementation of an agreement to simplify visa procedures for Russians in order to increase pressure on Russia's continued aggression against Ukraine.
Following Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, the EU has already banned high-ranking Russian government officials and business leaders from traveling to the EU.
On August 31, the EU held a meeting of foreign ministers in the Czech Republic to discuss the handling of visas for Russians, including ordinary citizens, in order to further increase pressure on Russia.
As a result, we agreed to suspend the implementation of the agreement with Russia to simplify the visa issuance process.
``From now on, the issuing process will be tougher and more time-consuming, and the number of new visas issued will be significantly reduced,'' said High Representative Borrell, the EU's foreign minister, at a press conference.
Following the military invasion, the EU banned Russian airlines from entering the EU, and the number of Russians entering the EU region by land has increased. It means that it will reach close to 10,000 people.
Estonia and Finland, which border Russia, have already decided to introduce individual measures to significantly restrict the issuance of visas to Russians for tourism purposes, etc., but the EU as a whole is cautious about taking such measures. Some countries did not come to an agreement.