Estonia Seeks Restricting Entry to Russians With Visas From Other Schengen States

HELSINKI (Sputnik) - Estonia is considering a ban on issuing visas to Russian citizens at the national level, as well as restrictions on crossing the border by Russian nationals with visas issued by other EU states, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said on Wednesday.

At a two-day informal meeting of EU foreign ministers held in Prague, Reinsalu called for a sharp restriction on the number of visas, especially tourist visas, issued to Russians, to reduce the influx of Russian citizens into the European Union and Schengen area.

“Until we have reached an agreement on how to restrict the entry of Russian nationals to the European Union, Estonia and other countries that share a border with Russia and Belarus will consider a national visa ban or restricting border crossings for Russian nationals with EU visas,” Reinsalu said.

Reinsalu also noted that exceptions should be made for those Russians coming to Estonia on humanitarian grounds, as well as opposition members.

On February 24, Russia began a military operation in Ukraine, responding to calls for help from the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. In response, the West and its allies have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow.

A number of EU countries have reduced issuance of tourist visas to Russians, while also calling for a total ban on the issuance of Schengen visas to the country's citizens as part of the next sanctions package. Earlier in August, the European Commission said that the member countries cannot completely stop issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens, adding that member states could decide for themselves on the issuance of short-term Schengen visas and consider each application on an individual basis.