It has been understandably galling for many Europeans this summer to see Russian tourists enjoying relaxing breaks at continental holiday resorts while Ukrainians are forced to take shelter from missiles fired by invading Russian troops. Videos circulating on social media of Russian tourists taunting Ukrainians at popular tourist spots have caused justifiable anger. Moreover, Russia’s EU neighbours, which have taken a strong line in support of Ukraine and feel directly threatened by the invasion, have experienced a large influx of Russian tourists who are travelling to Europe overland because of the closure of continental airspace to Russian airlines.
Little wonder that some of those states have already moved to limit that flow. Estonia, whose prime minister Kaja Kallas remarks that visiting Europe is “a privilege, not a human right”, has cancelled the issuing of visas to Russian tourists. Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic have also taken steps to reduce visa numbers. But none of those states can block Russians from entering on Schengen area visas issued by other member states. Several Baltic and eastern states, including Finland, have called for an EU-wide ban, echoing a plea from Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
But the idea has received a lukewarm reception elsewhere, with Germany and the European Commission reluctant for the EU to be seen to be punishing ordinary Russians for the crimes of their government. When EU foreign ministers gather in Prague for a two-day summit on Tuesday, they may opt to stop short of a ban but to back a suspension of the union’s visa facilitation agreement with Moscow. That would make it slower and more expensive for Russians to apply for EU visas without closing the door entirely.
It’s a better approach. Holding the people of Russia accountable for the actions of Vladimir Putin would risk reinforcing the Kremlin’s false narrative that Russia is encircled by enemies. In no meaningful way have Russians elected their leaders, and the space for public dissent or even for the dissemination of independent information is so small that any outright show of opposition comes at great personal risk to the individual. Europe ought to be looking for ways to support Russia’s democrats, not alienate them. There is a Russia beyond Putin; there will be a Russia after Putin. Assigning national guilt to the people of Russia would only be doing Putin’s work for him.
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Isolating ordinary Russians from the West was a policy pursued by Soviet Union’s leadership and one that Europe and the US assiduously sought to work around throughout the Cold War, believing as they did that greater contact with the West would undermine faith in the Soviet system. It’s a position that was ultimately vindicated, and one that Europe’s present leaders would do well to remember.