Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed confidence that “tough and concrete measures” in the form of sanctions against the Russian Federation are necessary to prevent a pseudo-referendum in the Kherson region. Such a restrictive measure, according to Zelensky, would be, “for example, the ban on all citizens of the Russian Federation from entering the countries of the European Union”. Zelenskiy’s demand that EU borders be closed to Russians came in the context of a “referendum” question asked by a Washington Post (WP) journalist. This Tuesday, August 16 edition publishes a “translated and lightly edited transcript” of excerpts from this interview. The first, short snippet of that conversation was published by the paper on August 8.

According to Zelensky, such a step would be an example of “good sanctions”, “very good and peaceful”. “There is nothing in these sanctions that takes away property or lives,” he said.

“I said from the beginning that, in my opinion, the most important sanctions are to close the borders, because they (citizens of the Russian Federation. – Red.) take away other people’s territories,” Zelensky further emphasized. “Well, let them live in their own world until they change their philosophy. Countries must close borders and impose an energy embargo. In my opinion, everything else is weaker (answer. – Red.). Now there is no complete embargo on energy supplies and the borders are not closed,” the Ukrainian leader said.

“Then they will understand”

The President of Ukraine noted that the children of Russian citizens study in schools and universities abroad. “Let them go to Russia. There’s nothing to worry about, let them go there,” Zelensky said, noting that the ban could be lifted later. “Only then will they understand,” he added.

According to Zelensky, collective responsibility is necessary to trigger a war in Ukraine. “They (Russians. – Red.) elected these people, and now they don’t fight with them, they don’t argue with them and they don’t yell at them. Russians who publicly oppose the war are isolated cases, and these people are in prison. So let the Russians go home, let everyone go to Russia,” the Ukrainian leader said.

“You want that isolation, don’t you? You’re telling the whole world that he will live by your rules. Well, then go there and live there,” he addressed the citizens of the Russian Federation.

“Putin is only afraid of pressure from the people of the Russian Federation”

The Ukrainian head of state claims that this is the only way to influence Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Zelensky, the life of the Russian leader depends on whether there is a threat to him from the people of the Russian Federation. According to the Ukrainian president, these sanctions are very “understandable” and “very simple”. They “are not about money, gas or pipes, not about the Germans, who won’t have heat in winter.” “Just close the borders for a year and you will see the result,” concluded Zelensky.

Finland will reduce the number of visas for Russians

Previously, it was learned that Finland will drastically reduce the number of visas issued to Russian citizens from September. The announcement was made by the country’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto on the air of national broadcaster Yle. According to Haavisto, the new measures will not require changes to Finnish legislation. The processing time for tourist visas will be limited to certain days or hours a day, which will significantly reduce their number, the minister said.

Latvia’s ruling coalition, led by Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins, has agreed that temporary residence permits (permits) issued to Russian citizens in the country will be extended only in special cases, Delfi.lv reported. Concrete government decisions will be taken in the coming weeks, Karins said. The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that marriages can be classified as exceptional cases.

Before that, the President of Latvia, Egils Levits, pointed to the need to limit the granting of Schengen visas to Russians at EU level. Latvia stopped issuing tourist visas to Russians on the first day of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, but Russian tourists still arrive there on visas from other Schengen countries, he said.