“Russia and the West continue to isolate themselves from each other”writes the daily Kommersantin a front-page article on new retaliatory measures being considered by Moscow regarding the granting of visas.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced on Monday 28 March the preparation of a draft presidential decree on “a whole series of limitations on entering the territory of Russia”, in response to “hostile actions of certain foreign states”. These measures will apply to 48 countries “Unfriendly” having adopted sanctions against Russia following the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine on February 24, listed in a list drawn up by the government on March 5. For now, note Kommersantthe head of Russian diplomacy did not specify what exactly these restrictions will consist of.
“Nationals of these countries will therefore now have difficulty traveling to Russia,” continues the newspaper. The list of “unfriendly” countries had been opened by Moscow in May 2021, to include first the United States, then the Czech Republic. But no visa restrictions were then adopted against these two countries.
In the other direction, Norway, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and the Czech Republic have stopped issuing visas to Russian citizens since February 24. Furthermore, the Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, on 25 March called on all EU countries to suspend the granting of visas to Russian citizens, so that they “reflect on the terrible crimes committed by the Russian army in Ukraine”. But, according to the title, “it has so far not received broad support” – apart from that of Slovenia and the Czech Republic.
Kommersant recalls that from 2020 Russia had paradoxically begun to relax its visa regime. A law on a “single electronic visa” that can be obtained from home by citizens of 53 countries (including France) had been adopted and was beginning to be implemented. It was to be used to revitalize the Russian tourism sector, very affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.