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The European Union (EU), which represents the 28 countries of the European Union, is a supranational political organization headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, with its seat in the Benelux region. It is a supranational organization with a shared history with the European Union (EU). It was established on 1 May to replace the European Economic Community and combine the resources of the 16 European Union member states located mainly in Central and Northern Europe. The Treaty of Lisbon entered into force on 01 December 2009.
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Ukraine is urging the EU to prevent Russian tourists from entering the bloc, but the response has been mixed, with some EU nations agreeing and others opposing.
Some EU countries bordering Russia have already barred Russian visa applications or limited visas issued by their own agencies, although there is no EU-wide embargo in effect.
The topic will be considered at an EU foreign ministers' conference in Prague on August 31, as the 27-nation union considers adopting a uniform stance on short-term visas for ordinary Russians.
"Russians enthusiastically embrace the conflict, cheering missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and (the) slaughter of Ukrainians." "Let Russian visitors enjoy Russia," stated Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked that the West close its borders to Russians, telling the Washington Post that they should "live in their own world until their worldview changes."
The Kremlin reacted angrily, labeling Kyiv's request "irrational" and pledging punishment.
As soon as the Kremlin's soldiers entered Ukraine in late February, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland stopped granting new tourist visas to Russians.
Estonia has gone a step further, preventing Russians with visas granted by its services from entering the country. It is also considering banning Russians who hold visas delivered by other EU countries.
Estonia wants to amend EU laws so that it may detain Russians with Schengen visas regardless of whatever EU member issued them.
However, Cyrille Bret of the Jacques Delors Institute argues that an EU-wide restriction "has little chance of being approved," even if national public opinion is favorable.
EU sanctions require unanimous approval from all 27 member states, and recent rounds had to work around opposition, notably from Hungary, which maintains close relations with Moscow.
Finland, which has Europe's longest border with Russia, will reduce the amount of Russian tourist visa applications handled to 10% of the typical 1,000 per day beginning September 1. Under Finnish law, an outright prohibition based on an applicant's nationality is not conceivable.
That metric will have an effect. Due to EU restrictions prohibiting Russian planes from entering European airspace, Russians have increasingly relied on ground transit through Finland to reach other European nations.
Russian tourists utilize Schengen visas, which are generally valid in 26 EU and neighboring countries, including Switzerland and Norway. The visas normally allow for stays of up to 90 days in a rolling 180-day period.
Last year, these 26 nations received around three million Schengen visa applications.
Russians made up the largest category, contributing to 536,000 applications, with only 3% of them being denied.
When it comes to Russians who disagree with the Kremlin and attempt to exit their country, Germany and Portugal see a total EU ban on tourist visas as damaging.
The EU limited visas in specific categories for Russians with ties to the Kremlin in February, including officials, diplomatic passport holders, and business owners. Tourist visas, however, were still authorized. Greece and Sweden have made no public statements on the matter, while Denmark has stated that it needs to see a European agreement before making a decision.
The Czech Republic, which now holds the rotating EU presidency, has taken a more nuanced stance. It claims that "business as normal for Russian visitors during times of violence is improper," but does not propose a complete ban.
Prague says it would continue to accept Russian journalists and other people fleeing persecution into the country.
This asylum provision is commonly accepted by nations supporting a tourist visa restriction, including Ukraine.
On Thursday, the European Commission stated that talks were underway to determine whether a "coordinated approach" could be agreed upon.
It has emphasized the need for humanitarian access for dissident Russians and has stated that visa applications should be evaluated individually rather than as a group.
Ylva Johansson, EU Home Affairs Commissioner, will visit Finland and Latvia in early September to address the situation with local authorities.