Andrei Vasoyevich: The three-way game behind the visa ban against Russia

[Text / Observer Network columnist Andrei Vasoyevich]

Western politicians, commentators and bureaucrats have called for a visa ban for Russian citizens, and it is clear that visiting EU countries is seen as "a privilege, not a right". Behind the absurd trend of thought lurks three parties – the beneficiaries of the United Kingdom, the United States, and the traditional loser European Union. As with the end result of other sanctions, the EU is always the one who hurts, and Russia is more at ease.

The visa ban, which was earlier just a dream whisper for the Anglo-Saxon satellites of Europe, was increasingly hyped up by naïve European Commission officials, the Baltic states and Poland, and dealt a heavy blow to "shared values" and "international law".

So what exactly is the visa ban and where did this trend begin?

The policy, which denies tourist and tourist visas to Russian citizens and makes it more difficult to obtain other types of visas in terms of higher application fees and longer processing times, creates exceptions for dissidents and journalists, depending on the circumstances.

Some countries have restrictions on Russian visas, the source of the picture is shown in the watermark

The first public supporters of the visa ban were Ukrainian officials, including Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba and current Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmygal, and the first EU countries to come forward to promote it (no doubt!). ) is Estonia. Subsequently, driven by public commentators such as Edward Lucas of The Times, the topic entered the mainstream.

Over the past few months, visa bans have swept policy think tanks, newspaper frontpages and EU parliaments. The Baltic region has borne the brunt of restrictions on freedom of movement for Russian citizens, but the three Baltic states are not associated with Russia economically, politically and geopolitically, and they only act as microphones for the United Kingdom and the United States. Hungary, Germany and other EU countries that retain partial sovereignty refuse to participate, but it is undeniable that the freedom of movement of Russian citizens is gradually being restricted. Recently, the Council of the European Union passed a proposal on September 9 to completely suspend the visa facilitation agreement with Russia.

Visa facilitation agreements simplify the requirements for required documents, reduce processing time and reduce application fees. In other words, Russian citizens now have to pay twice as much money, wait time, and prepare more documents than ever before. Moreover, the unilateral termination of the agreement (which the EU can do again to any country) is a clear political signal to member states that Russia "deserves it."

In the past, Russians could easily obtain Schengen visas for bordering countries such as Finland and Estonia, despite their traditional Russophobic status, but now this corridor is also closed.

Unfriendly behaviour in neighbouring countries can hinder cross-border trade and tourism in the short term, affecting local small and medium-sized enterprises. In the medium term, it will affect family ties, and a large number of Russian minority populations live in Finland and the three Baltic states, making it more difficult to reunite with their families. In the long run, the EU may expect its actions to trigger a domino effect that will cause more countries to refuse visas to Russian citizens.

Belarus, also a neighbor of Russia, was subject to the same sanctions earlier, and its visa facilitation agreement was unilaterally suspended by the European Union on September 29, 2021, to help Russia mediate with the new Iron Curtain. Belarus, like Russia, has been excluded from the European Union and is therefore unable to provide travel support. But with Hungary at the head, some sane European countries still hope to continue friendly relations with Russia.

First of all, we need to be clear that the main "sponsors" of the visa ban are the United Kingdom and the United States, for whom it is crucial to undermine relations between Russia and the EU, especially Russian-German relations. Britain and the United States are lobbying everywhere to dismantle Taiwan, adding obstacles to constructive dialogue between Russia and Europe.

They know that Russia will respond to what the EU is doing with practical actions. The visa ban is only one part of a sanction scheme aimed at destroying the EU's comparative economic advantage, not shaking Russia. The competitiveness of European industrial goods, based on cheap Russian raw materials, is now closing European factories as costs soar. The United States is ousting a serious contender from the world arena, and the visa ban is a small policy that has been exposed to prevent Russian-European relations from returning to normal.

Second, Biden has made it clear that the focus of sanctions is regime change in Russia (in Poland in March 2022). The visa ban is bound to infuriate Russian elites and middle classes whose property and businesses are spread across Europe, and Americans are betting on dissident Russians in the face of a united Russia at home, hoping they will return home and cause trouble.

When the Russian-Ukrainian war broke out in February, opponents and troublemakers fled their country and are now forced to return to a country that frightened them, loathed, but increasingly unified in values. The White House wants these promising exiles to destabilize Russia's regime.

Finally, as for the EU's incentive to buy into such self-destructive sanctions programs, it is that they want to maximize their influence over Russia when diplomacy resumes later. The more restrictions are introduced, the more cards will be played in negotiations later, but even a small measure as a tourist visa ban can permeate desperation.

It also exposes divisions within the EU, where the rift between sovereign and client states is widening. Since 1991, the "new Europe", consisting of the former Warsaw Pact Organization or the former Soviet Union countries, has been keeping a close eye on Russia. Its government is vulnerable to Anglo-American influence, its internal politics are dominated by Russophobes, and it serves Atlantic globalism.

But if you want to say that the new Europe "kidnapped" the old Europe, it is not accurate, on the contrary, the old Europe and the United States are using small countries and countries under actual control to impose sanctions against Russia. Tallinn, Warsaw, etc. are just puppets, and the initiative in decision-making is still concentrated in Brussels, London and Washington.

The political purpose of the proposed Russian visa ban is beyond doubt. However, the Anglo-Saxons once again defeated the Germans and French, and Macron even declared that "the era of abundance is over." Not only are we witnessing the EU's unique political suicide, but it is also a great denigration and insult to European values that the West routinely celebrates. They have returned to the era of ethnic discrimination, reckless ruling and stupid aggressive statements, Russia is their target now, and any country in the world can become the next target.

There are three questions:

When will the EU become aware of its slow and unconscious suicidal behaviour?

When European leaders betray so-called "European values" every day, what will be the last straw that crushes the camel's back?

How can future world leaders, including China, build a more equitable and equitable global framework?

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