Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
It was announced in Brussels that the presidency of the European Council, which represents member states on the one hand, and the European Parliament on the other, agreed not to accept Russian travel documents issued in Ukraine and Georgia
According to a statement issued by the federal institutions in Brussels, the Presidency of the Council and the European Parliament reached an interim agreement on a decision not to accept Russian travel documents issued in Ukraine and Georgia.
"The agreed text is subject to approval by the Council and the European Parliament before going through the formal adoption procedures," the statement said.
This decision comes in response to Russia's unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and Russia's practice of issuing Russian international passports to residents of the occupied areas. It also comes after Russia's unilateral decision to recognize the independence of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 2008.
According to the European statement, Russian travel documents issued to persons residing in the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine or the breakaway territories of Georgia will not be accepted as valid travel documents for obtaining a visa or crossing the borders of the Schengen area.
Russian travel documents issued in these regions are not already recognized, or are in the process of not being recognized by EU member states.
This decision aims to establish a common approach, ensuring the smooth functioning of the external borders and common visa policies and protecting the security of the member states of the European Union.