Dutch Foreign Ministry: Amsterdam will support the ban on issuing visas to Russians

The Netherlands will advocate for a ban on the issuance of Schengen tourist visas to citizens of the Russian Federation by the European Union. This was stated by the head of the Dutch Foreign Ministry Wopke Hoekstra to RTL Nieuws.

In his opinion, tourists from the Russian Federation “are no longer welcome in Europe.”

At the same time, Hoekstra noted that this ban should not affect other visas for Russian citizens – study, family visits, long-term residence and refugee visas.

Earlier it was reported that the foreign ministers of the EU countries will discuss the issue of issuing visas to Russians on August 30 at an informal meeting. For several weeks now, representatives of a number of Western countries have been calling for restrictions on the issuance of visas to Russians at the EU level. Earlier this initiative was voiced by the Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky’s idea was supported by Finland, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania.

At the same time, there is no unity in the EU on this issue. For example, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, spoke out against a complete ban on visas for Russian citizens. France also called visa restrictions for Russians stupidity.

In the Russian Foreign Ministry, Zelensky’s calls to stop issuing Schengen to Russians were considered an open manifestation of chauvinism. The Kremlin stated that they hoped for the sober thinking of European leaders, and reported that Russia would react extremely negatively if Russians were denied Schengen visas. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov noted that European countries unfriendly to Russia are imposing sanctions “to the point of unconsciousness.”