The Baltic states, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, have agreed in principle to limit the entry of Russian citizens who want to enter from their own country or Belarus.
Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said the measures would be effective later this month.
Exceptions will be made, for example, for people who come for humanitarian or family reasons. The same goes for diplomats and truck drivers. Nevertheless, according to Rinkevics, the number of Russian citizens entering the three countries has risen “dramatically” in recent months and weeks.
“It is thus becoming a matter of public safety, but also a political and moral issue,” he said.
The call to make it more difficult for Russian citizens to enter has been heard for some time. The European Union has meanwhile announced that it will make the arrival of Russians more difficult. Applying for a visa is made more complicated, time-consuming and expensive.
The eastern member states want to make the restrictions even tougher, for example, by no longer granting tourists visas.
Many countries find it unacceptable that Russians vacation on their territory while Russia is waging war against Ukraine.
