Estonian minister defends visa ban against Russian tourists

By HARRIET MORRIS
Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Estonia’s foreign minister has defended his country’s decision to bar Russian tourists, saying they are shirking their “moral responsibility” to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime and its “genocidal war” in Ukraine. The small Baltic country, which shares a 300-kilometer (190-mile) border with Russia, stopped issuing tourist visas to Russians months ago. As of Thursday, it no longer accepts those visas previously issued. Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu told The Associated Press that Estonia wants “to close down our borders to Russian citizens, except humanitarian cases.” He said “Russian citizens are not welcome in Europe. Their country is committing a genocidal war against an innocent people.”