EU countries torn over Russian tourist visa ban move

By LORNE COOK
Associated Press

PRAGUE (AP) — Northern European Union countries are calling for a broad ban on tourist visas for Russian citizens. They insist that the issue is a matter of national security as President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine drags on. But other EU countries like France, Germany and Belgium argue that it’s important not to punish Russian people who may very well oppose the war or need to enter Europe for humanitarian purposes. The EU already tightened visa restrictions on Russian officials and business people in May under a 2007 agreement to ease travel between Russia and Europe. Amid the divisions, it appears likely that they’ll only agree to make it more time-consuming and costly for Russians to apply for tourist visas.