Baltic nations close borders to Russians over Ukraine war

By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have closed their borders to most Russians in response to the wide domestic support in Russia for the war in Ukraine. Under the coordinated travel ban, Russians wishing to travel to the Baltic countries as tourists or for business, sports or cultural purposes will not be allowed in even if they hold valid visas for the European Union’s checks-free Schengen Area. Poland plans to stop admitting Russian citizens on Sept. 26. The prime ministers of the four nations agreed on the ban this month, saying it would protect the EU’s security. Lithuania’s prime minister said Monday that it’s “unacceptable that people who support the war can freely travel around the world.”