Germany doesn't support calls for EU-wide tourist visa ban on Russians, says Olaf Scholz

Amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that his country is not in favour of supporting other European Union (EU) nations' calls to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian people. The countries supporting such a ban argue that European vacations for Russians should be prohibited until Moscow does not stop the war in Ukraine. Nordic countries like Finland and Denmark have called on the EU to make a decision, while some nations that border Russia have already stopped issuing visas to Russian people. 

"This is not the war of the Russian people. It is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war and we have to be very clear on that topic. All the decisions we make within the EU should not make it more complicated to go for freedom, to leave the country for Russians," Scholz stated, the Associated Press (AP) reported. He further said that it is crucial to comprehend that many people are leaving Russia because they don't agree with the government there. Scholz made these statements on the sidelines of a one-day summit of the five Nordic leaders in Oslo to which the German chancellor was also invited.

EU foreign ministers to discuss the matter on August 31

According to reports, the EU foreign ministers are likely to discuss this matter during their informal meeting on August 31. Meanwhile, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who supports the visa ban, stressed that it's an issue which requires a discussion. “It is not a black or white question, there are shades of grey," she said at a press conference in Oslo. Notably, the EU restricted air travel from Russia after it launched a full-fledged war in Ukraine in late February. However, Russians are still allowed to travel by land to neighbouring EU nations. 

US not in favour of imposing a visa ban on Russian citizens

Meanwhile, the United States has also stated that it is not in favour of imposing a visa ban on Russian citizens. The deputy spokesperson of the US Department of State underscored that the government is unlikely to forbid Russian citizens from obtaining visas since it does not intend to cause any impact of sanctions on the common people of Russia. The statement came after Ukraine, along with a few other countries, urged the West to stop providing visas to Russian citizens in the wake of Putin's "unjustified" war. 

(With inputs from AP)

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