EU halts Russian multiple-entry visas
Shafaq News – Brussels
The European Union suspended the issuance of multiple-entry
visas for Russian citizens on Friday, tightening travel restrictions as part of its
response to the war in Ukraine.
In a statement, the EU said that Russian nationals will now
be limited to single-entry visas, requiring them to apply for a new visa each
time they travel to member states.
European officials, cited by POLITICO, suggested that the
measure will be formally adopted this week as part of a broader package aimed
at restricting the movement of Russian citizens across the bloc.
They described the move as a “soft diplomatic strike”
intended to limit personal, commercial, and cultural exchanges between Russia
and Europe without severing travel ties completely.
The decision adds to the EU’s extensive sanctions regime
against Moscow, which since 2022 has targeted the energy, banking, and defense
sectors and restricted travel privileges for Russian officials and business
figures as the war enters its fourth year.
