Russia Warns of Reprisal Measures If Its Citizens Get Denied Schengen Visas

Kremlin spokesperson, Dimitry Peskov, said for a news conference that the EU countries, as well as North American nations, are competing in anti-Russian sanctions and suggested that irrational decisions are being made as their arsenal of measures is drying up, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.

Anadolu Agency explained that except for calling the possible ban on Schengen visas for Russian citizens an emotionally driven action, Peskov said Kremlin hopes that a similar initiative by Finland is not implemented.

Additionally, he highlighted that Moscow would take action immediately if Finland decided to stop issuing visas to citizens of Russia.

The statements of Peskov come as a response to EU politicians who said that the bloc’s countries should no longer issue Schengen visas to Russians.

Just recently, Ukrainian representatives declared that Russian citizens applying for Schengen visas should be asked if they support the war in Ukraine. The special envoy on sanctions, Oleksi Makeiev, urged the EU to include a special questionnaire for nationals of Russia.

It has been required that through this questionnaire, Russians should be asked if they support the war in Ukraine, if they or their relative have committed war crimes, and if they feel any responsibility for the war.

Makeiev told Politico that some polls have shown that more than 80 per cent of Russians support the war and thus has required that the EU countries do not apply the same treatment to Russians applying for a Schengen visa.

In addition, he noted that the reasoning behind such a request is to make Russians think critically about their president and his actions.

Previously, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reported that the majority of the Finnish Parliament wants to stop issuing visas to Russians. However, not everybody has agreed.

Four parliamentary groups have been discussing if they should continue allowing citizens of Russia to apply for a Schengen visa in Finland or if they should ban them completely.

It has been revealed that representatives of the National Coalition, Social Democrats, and the Finns Party are urging that Finland applies stricter rules to Russians applying for a visa. Additionally, the deputy chairperson of the Coalition’s Parliamentary Group, Jukka Kopra, said that Finland should start applying the same restrictions as Estonia.

Amid discussion related to visa limitations against Russian citizens, the Foreign Ministry of Finland revealed that 10,520 visas were issued to Russians from July 1 to July 22.