Moscow, Russia – The Russian Foreign Ministry announced a package of countermeasures in response to the European Union’s restrictions on granting visas to Russian citizens. It deemed the European move “discriminatory and unjustified.”
Moscow said in an official statement that the new measures aim to achieve “reciprocity.” These measures include tightening entry requirements for citizens of certain European countries that have adopted restrictive visa policies against Russians.
The statement added that the European Union continues to use the visa issue as a political pressure tactic, which, according to Moscow, contradicts the principles of international cooperation and freedom of movement.
The Russian Foreign Ministry asserted that Russia would not stand idly by in the face of what it described as a hostile European approach. It indicated that further steps might include a review of existing travel agreements with certain European countries.
