“The most important sanctions are to close the borders — because the Russians are taking away someone else’s land”

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls on the West to ban all Russian travelers. In an interview with The Washington Post, Zelenskyy said that announcing such a ban is a way to stop Russia from annexing any more of Ukraine’s territory.

“The most important sanctions are to close the borders — because the Russians are taking away someone else’s land. Russians should live in their own world until they change their philosophy,” pointed Zelenskyy.

Finland’s Prime Minister, Sanna Marin, urges that “it’s not right” Russians can travel to Europe. In her opinion, the EU should restrict Russian tourism.

“It’s not right that at the same time as Russia is waging an aggressive, brutal war of aggression in Europe, Russians can live a normal life, travel in Europe, be tourists,” Marin said in the interview with Finnish national broadcaster YLE.

Meanwhile, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas also called for a ban on travel visas for Russian citizens.
“Stop issuing tourist visas to Russians. Visiting Europe is a privilege, not a human right,” wrote the Estonian PM on Twitter.