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EU reluctant to issue visas to holders of Russian passports issued in certain regions

It is reported that this decision aims to set out a common approach, ensure the proper functioning of the external border and common visa policies and safeguard the security of EU member states

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

BRUSSELS, November 10. /TASS/. The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement to not accept Russian travel documents issued in the former regions of Ukraine that have joined Russia, as well as in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, according to a statement published on the European Council’s website on Thursday.

"Russian travel documents issued in, or to residents of, Russian-occupied regions in Ukraine or breakaway territories in Georgia will not be accepted as valid travel documents for obtaining a visa or crossing the borders of the Schengen area," the statement reads.

According to the statement, the agreed text will have to go through a formal adoption procedure by all EU members. The European Council added that "Russian travel documents issued in these regions are already not recognized, or in the process of not being recognized, by EU member states."

"This decision aims to set out a common approach, ensure the proper functioning of the external border and common visa policies and safeguard the security of EU member states," the statement said.

From September 23 to September 27, the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), as well as the Kherson Region and the Zaporozhye Region, held a referendum where the majority of voters opted to join Russia. On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of the DPR and the LPR, the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions signed treaties on their accession to Russia. On October 4, Putin signed laws ratifying the treaties.

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