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Kremlin vows retaliation should EU impose visa restrictions on Russians

It was mentioned that some EU countries have been debating over restricting visa issuance, which means fewer visas "will be issued, and the process would be lengthier creating obstacles for people"

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

MOSCOW, August 31. /TASS/. Moscow is keeping an eye on the situation around the EU’s policy-making moves on visas for Russians and will retaliate to any restrictions, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned on Wednesday.

"We are closely watching this situation, because it concerns our citizens. And another set of unfriendly moves against our citizens, if any, would force us to counteract," Peskov warned.

According to him, some EU countries have been debating over restricting visa issuance, which means fewer visas "will be issued, and the process would be lengthier creating obstacles for people." "This is not good, and their people will also face difficulties when they arrive here. Hence, there will be another spiral of this blatant Russophobic campaign," the presidential spokesman said.

At an informal meeting in Prague later today, the EU foreign ministers will consider changing the visa code or establishing a voluntary mechanism for cutting the number of visas issued to Russians, with the exception of certain categories of Russian nationals. The idea was supported in a number of European nations, including the Czech Republic and Poland, as well as the Baltic states. The majority of countries in Eastern and Western Europe, including Germany, France and Portugal, are opposed to the initiative. The EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell spoke against a bloc-wide ban on the issuance of visas to all Russians.

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