Polish President Andrzej Duda said that he would support the introduction of a ban on the entry of Russians into the country in the event of a further aggravation of the situation in eastern Ukraine, TASS reports.
“As a neighbor of Russia, I will do this with regret, speaking out in favor of sanctions that will block travel opportunities, for example, for Russian citizens,” the politician said at a joint press conference in Kiev with Ukrainian and Lithuanian Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Gitanas Nauseda.
Duda recalled that Poland borders on the Kaliningrad region. If the escalation in Ukraine continues, strong sanctions against Russia will be needed, the president said, calling for “peace and tranquility.”
Last week, the situation in Donbass began to deteriorate. Representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) announced shelling from the Ukrainian side and attempts at provocations. The authorities of the republics claim that Ukraine is preparing for a forceful settlement of the situation with Donbass. Against this background, on February 18, residents of the DPR and LPR began to be evacuated to Russia.
On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the recognition of the sovereignty of the DNR and LNR. He signed relevant decrees, as well as federal laws on the ratification of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance treaties with both republics. The head of state also received permission from the Federation Council to use the Russian Armed Forces abroad. Valentina Matviyenko, chairwoman of the upper house of parliament, said that peacekeepers could be brought into the Donbass.
Yesterday, the European Union announced the imposition of sanctions against Russia. They will be extended to 27 individuals and legal entities, including banks and other organizations that, according to the West, finance operations in the Donbass. Restrictive measures are also planned to be introduced against 351 State Duma deputies who voted for the recognition of the DPR and LPR.