Zelenskyy calls on West to ban Russian travellers, says 'they should live in isolation'

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged all Western nations to ban entry for all Russians and also introduce a full embargo on Russian energy carriers. In an interview with Washington Post, Zelenskyy stressed that “ most important sanctions are to close borders because Russians are taking away someone else's land”. Ukraine’s President also proposed that Russians should “live in isolation until y change ir philosophy”.

"All Russians, whoever y are... let m go to Russia. n y will understand. y will say: "This war has thing to do with us. entire population canʼt be held responsible, can y?" Maybe. population elected this government, and it does t fight or argue with it," Zelenskyy emphasised.

Zelenskyy’s remarks came in backdrop of several nations introducing restrictions on Russians. On August 5, Latvia’s government stopped issuing visas to citizens of Russian Federation indefinitely. ditionally, Estonia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Urmas Reinsalu said that his department is preparing a proposal to European Union to suspend issuing visas to Russians. Even Czech Republic’s government has decided to t issue visas and temporary residence permits to citizens of Russia and Belarus till March 23. 

Finland says it’s ‘unfair’ that Russians can enter Europe

Echoing similar remarks as Zelenskyy, Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin said that she believes issuing tourist visas to Russians should face some restrictions especially as Moscow’s brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine nears its six-month point. She told Finland’s national public brocaster Yle, “It’s t right that at same time as Russia is waging an aggressive, brutal war of aggression in Europe, Russians can live a rmal life, travel in Europe, be tourists. It’s t right”. 

“I believe that in future European Council meetings, this issue will come up even more strongly. My personal position is that tourism should be restricted,” Marin ded.

Since Russia-Ukraine war began on February 24, travel bans have been used by both West, and Russians eir to condemn conflict or in a retaliatory move. In April, Russia ded 398 members of US Congress to travel ban list. In a statement, Russian Foreign Ministry said, “taking into account sanctions US is constantly introducing, furr anuncements of Russian countermeasures are planned in near future”.

Im: AP