EU Member States have agreed to suspend an agreement that made it easier for Russians to obtain visas, a much-anticipated move which was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon after EU foreign ministers convened in Prague, Czech Republic.
The suspension was announced by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, at a press conference held on Wednesday after the meeting.
The visa facilitation agreement, which dates back to 2007, had already been “partially suspended” for certain groups of people, such as politicians, he explained.
The EU Foreign Affairs Chief stated, in a message published on Twitter, that there had been “a substantial increase of border crossings from Russia into neighbouring states.”
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“This is becoming a security risk,” Borrell added. “We therefore agree today with EU Foreign Ministers on full suspension of the EU-Russia visa facilitation agreement.”
Total suspension will significantly reduce the number of visas granted by EU member States to Russian citizens.
It will now take longer and be more difficult to obtain a visa, Borrell noted.
