EU foreign ministers meeting in Prague on Wednesday decided to suspend the EU’s visa facilitation agreement with Russia, making it more difficult and more expensive for Russians to obtain visas. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, relations with Moscow „cannot be business as usual” and the agreement should be „fully suspended”. The decision comes after two weeks of pressure from EU member states bordering Russia for Russian citizens to be stopped from entering the bloc with Schengen visas issued by some member states. Romania’s foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu, who was also in Prague, said Bucharest is open to additional measures to restrict the movement of Russian citizens within the European Union, with a focus on tourist visas. He pointed out, however, that measures should not target persons in need of humanitarian, medical or protection visas. He also said it was important not to prevent young Russians from being exposed to the European values.
Eugen Cojocariu, Radio Romania International
