EU foreign ministers decided on Wednesday to make it more difficult for Russian citizens to obtain visas to travel to the European Union, making it more expensive and time-consuming, but they stopped short of a blanket ban as demanded by Ukraine and several member states, Reuters reported.

At a press conference in Prague, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borel announced: “We have agreed… to completely suspend the visa facilitation agreement between the European Union and Russia (since 2007).”

Parts of the 2007 agreement on free movement of Russian government officials and businessmen were suspended in late February, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began. The extended suspension of the agreement thus completely cancels the preferential treatment for Russians when they apply for EU visas and will require them to present additional documents, making the whole procedure more expensive and time-consuming.

The EU was too divided to agree on a blanket ban at this stage, and it also remained unclear what steps the Baltic states, Poland and Finland, which share land borders with Russia, might take to restrict access to Russian visitors, Reuters said.

But the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, argued that suspending the visa facilitation agreement would in itself have a real impact.

“This will significantly reduce the number of new visas issued by EU countries (for Russians). It will be more difficult (to obtain visas), it will take more time,” he said at a press conference following the two-day meeting of EU foreign ministers in Prague.

“I saw how many Russians go to the EU for rest and shopping, as if there was no war”

Borrell also stated that since mid-July there has been a significant increase in border crossings from Russia to neighboring states.

“It has become a security threat to these neighboring countries,” he said. “In addition, I saw many Russians traveling for leisure and shopping, as if the war was not ravaging Ukraine.”

Josep Borrell also noted that member states can already take a number of measures to restrict the entry of Russian citizens without giving details.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, whose country supports a total ban on tourist visas for Russians, said he considered the suspension of the visa facilitation agreement “an important first step.”

• Read also: Poland and the Baltic states are ready to unilaterally limit visas for Russians

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