Natia Seskuria: Why the EU Should Ban Russian Tourists

2022-09-14 | Expert publications, Sanctions

Natia Seskuria for Foreign Policy. A visa ban won’t have the same impact as military aid to Kyiv, but it would send a strong message to ordinary Russians. It has been more than six months since Russia launched a brutal war against Ukraine, killing thousands of people and forcing millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes. Despite tough Western sanctions, including air travel suspensions between European Union member states and Russia, this summer, Russian tourists still seem to be enjoying luxury holidays on the French and Italian rivieras. In the meantime, Ukrainians are fighting for their lives. The impressive scale and speed of the Kharkiv counteroffensive demonstrated that with Western support, Ukraine will be able to liberate its occupied territories—but that doesn’t mean Europe should avoid taking other more symbolic measures.

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