The European Union is calling for a stricter security assessment of every Russian trying to flee the country for the EU.
EU member countries should not accept short-term Schengen visa applications from Russians who have already left the country, and any new visa applications should be assessed from a security perspective, Johansson said, announcing an EU-wide policy toward those fleeing conscription after President"Member states need to do a thorough security assessment" before issuing a short-term Schengen visa to Russian citizens, Johansson said, adding that visas shouldn't be issued to those who...
Questioned about how Russian citizens will be able to apply for asylum considering they can hardly reach the bloc, between travel bans and EU sanctions, Johansson said Russians will be able to apply as any citizen from any other country would. Online searches for for flights out of the country skyrocketed within minutes after Putin's speech, according to reports, and queues of fleeing citizens formed at the land border with Georgia in the days following the Russian leader's announcement.