Diplomat Chides EU Bureaucracy for Putting ‘Thaw’ in Visa Issues with Russia Out of Reach

The European Union’s internal processes have put progress in easing EU visa requirements for Russian youth out of reach for the time being, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in an interview with the Govorit Moskva radio station on Thursday, TASS reports.

“[The EU countries] have closed their borders, and they are discussing the possibility of introducing some COVID documents linked to the possibility of movement. That’s why [in order] to talk about some sort of global progress related to the changes, [and] a ‘thaw’ [in easing visa requirements with Russia] it is essential to understand what processes are taking place within the EU itself,” she specified.

The Social Democratic Party of Germany earlier said in its program ahead of the Bundestag elections that, despite their criticism against Russia, Germany and Europe are interested in cooperation with Moscow on issues related to common security, disarmament and arms control, energy, climate change and pandemics. The party called for intensifying contacts between civil societies and easing visa requirements for young people.