Moscow slams European Union's 'absurd' travel restrictions against Russians
Moscow has denounced the European Union for enforcing a set of restrictions on Russians seeking to travel to the 27-nation bloc, describing the move as absurd.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, published a clarification note in early September, banning Russians from bringing their personal cars into the bloc’s member states. It has also warned that such items as smartphones, laptops, and cosmetic products were at risk of confiscation.
On Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the restrictions “go beyond the point of absurdity,” and were aimed at “causing harm specifically to ordinary Russians and at making it impossible for Russian citizens to enter the European Union.”
"The desperate desire of the current EU leadership to erect a new Iron Curtain in Europe is now completely obvious, limiting as much as possible the possibilities of communication between people," it added.
The Iron Curtain refers to the political and military barrier built by the former Soviet Union following the conclusion of the World War II in an attempt to fully detach itself and its allies in Eastern and Central Europe from open contact with the West.
Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova took aim at the travel restrictions, saying they exemplified “racism.”
"It's just racism," Zakharova said, adding, "This is racism pure and simple."
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has also suggested that Moscow should retaliate by suspending its diplomatic relations with the bloc.
“What should we do? Certainly not introduce retaliatory restrictions for EU citizens, we are not racists,” Medvedev said on September 11, adding, “It would be better to simply suspend diplomatic relations with the EU for a while.”
The EU has imposed a slew of sanctions against Russia since last February, when the latter began waging a “special military operation” against its neighbor Ukraine.
Moscow has said the anti-Russian restrictions as well as a steady flow of state-of-the-art arms that have been directed from the bloc towards Kiev ever since the onset of the conflict only serves to prolong the war.
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