PRAGUE -- The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, says the bloc's 27 members have agreed to suspend an agreement with Russia, which had made it easier for Russians to obtain tourist visas, as a sanction for Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Borrell announced the decision, which falls short of the total ban on visa issuance some countries sought, on August 31 after the second day of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in the Czech capital.
A 2007 visa agreement to ease EU entry requirements for Russians was partially suspended in late February, targeting people close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, such as Russia's official delegations and holders of diplomatic passports. But it left so-called “ordinary Russians” untouched, allowing them to continue to enjoy EU visa-facilitation benefits, such as reduced waiting times and costs and the need to present fewer documents when applying.
Countries that share borders with Russia -- the Baltic states, Poland, and Finland -- have led the drive for more restrictive bans on visas for Russian tourists. With air service barred by the EU on flights from Russia, most travelers are using their land borders to travel on to other EU countries.
SEE ALSO: Ukraine Live Briefing: Striking Inside RussiaBorrell said the agreement is aimed at stopping Russians from "visa shopping" by applying for their travel documents with countries in the bloc where the rules are not as strict. Once granted a visa to an EU country, the holder of the document can then travel freely within the EU's Schengen Area.
The suspension of the pact makes the EU visa process more complicated, more expensive, and more bureaucratic, as well as increasing waiting times for approval, according to European Commission guidelines.
"Given the challenging implications for the bordering countries, we acknowledge that measures can be taken at a national level to restrict entry into the EU in conformity with the EU Schengen border code," Borrell said in a nod to the EU's acceptance that a regional solution for the three Baltic countries, Poland, and Finland may be reached as well.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said after the meeting that the EU countries bordering Russia will immediately seek such a regional solution on "how we're going to approach the national-security issue of people crossing from Russia with Russian passports and Schengen visas to our countries or through our countries further to Europe."
Still, some said the situation falls short of what is needed.
"This goes in the right direction but once again we saw that so far there has been a lot of talk and little action," Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told reporters, adding that the situation should be reevaluated within a few months.
"When Russia is invading Ukraine and we receive refugees from Ukraine and try to help Ukraine in every way, this is not a time for holidaymaking and luxury tourism (for Russians)," Haavisto added.
Germany and France had led the other side of the debate, saying the limiting of visas to Russians would be counterproductive as the EU tries to fight for the "hearts and minds" of those Russians who don't support Moscow's aggression against Ukraine.
Kyiv has called for the bloc to ban issuing visas to all Russians except political dissidents.
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Ukrainian Foreign Minister Insists EU Drop ‘Illusions’ About Welcoming Russian Tourists
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told RFE/RL in an interview on August 30 that "calling this war a 'Putin problem' and not the problem of the Russian society that mostly supports its president is self-deception."
All 27 EU members had to agree to any measure adopted that would limit the issuance of visas throughout the bloc.