Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
The Israeli occupation targets Deir Keefa in South Lebanon with 2 surface-to-surface missiles
Philippe Lazzarini: The famine in Gaza is a direct result of banning food and other basic supplies for months including from UNRWA .
Philippe Lazzarini: The spread of famine can still be controlled by a ceasefire and allowing humanitarian organizations to do their work and reach starving people with aid.
The United Nations on the Israeli-induced famine in Gaza: The starvation of civilians for military objectives is a war crime.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini: famine is now confirmed in Gaza city. This is starvation by design and manmade by the Government of Israel.
More than 30 people have been martyred in Gaza since Friday dawn in Israeli bombardment targeting refugee camps throughout the blockaded strip.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The Israeli occupation forces are carrying out demolitions of residential buildings in Gaza's al-Tuffah neighborhood amid intensifying airstrikes.
Israeli media: A man is critically wounded from a shooting near Malachi Hashalom between Ramallah and Nablus, and ambulance crews are on their way to the scene.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: One person was martyred in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a motorcycle in southern Lebanon's Deir Saryan.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent to Southern Lebanon: An Israeli drone strike on a motorcycle in the town of Deir Saryan left one civilian injured

Estonian PM calls for total ban on Russia in the Schengen zone

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 9 Aug 2022 17:46
2 Min Read

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas says visiting Europe is a privilege and not a human right.

  • x
  • Estonian PM calls for total ban on Russia in the Schengen zone
    Estonian PM calls for total ban on Russia in the Schengen zone

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas called on all members of the Schengen zone on Tuesday to stop issuing visas for Russians.

Stop issuing tourist visas to Russians. Visiting #Europe is a privilege, not a human right. Air travel from RU is shut down. It means while Schengen countries issue visas, neighbours to Russia carry the burden (FI, EE, LV – sole access points). Time to end tourism from Russia now

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) August 9, 2022

She identifies the three "sole access points," namely Estonia, Latvia, and Finland as "carrying the burden" for bordering Russia and hosting Russian tourists. 

The Schengen Agreement is a treaty that led most of the European countries toward the abolishment of their national borders.

It allows border-free travel among 26 European countries with the inclusion of some non-EU countries. 

This tweet follows Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's call issued yesterday in an interview for the Washington Post to implement a year-long prohibition on all Russian travelers and energy imports.

“Don’t you want this isolation? You’re telling the whole world that it must live by your rules. Then go and live there. This is the only way to influence Putin,” Zelenski said during his interview as if he is directly addressing the Russian people.

Last week, Estonia's Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu likewise expressed he wanted to see an EU-wide travel visa ban on Russian citizens in the next round of the bloc’s sanctions on Moscow.

Related News

US prepares to sanction Rosneft, Lukoil if talks fail: Reports

Trump unsure on Russia sanctions as deadline nears: The Atlantic

He also argued that Estonia was ought to follow Latvia's lead which required that all Russian nationals who sought entry sign a statement denouncing the Ukraine war; this rule would need to also be applied to those seeking citizenship through naturalization.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov touched on the issue of the Schengen region denying visas to Russians, underlining that this would prompt Moscow to take retaliatory measures.

"Of course, Russia will react extremely negatively to this. As far as we understand, so far, this decision has not found any, let's say, application ... Let's hope that it will not," he told reporters.

Estonia has been a very strong ally of Ukraine throughout the conflict. It has cooperated with Ukraine on all fronts - diplomatic, economic, including military fronts.

Estonia 🇪🇪 has provided 240M eur in military aid to Ukraine 🇺🇦 and is housing 30K+ refugees. We will keep working relentlessly also on diplomatic front on the 6th package of the EU🇪🇺sanctions. No excuse to rest before this horror is over. #StandWithUkraine️ pic.twitter.com/K1xIYpUk1f

— Marten Kokk (@martenkokk) April 17, 2022

Since the beginning of the conflict, Estonia ceased to issue most types of visas for Russians. Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and the Czech Republic – have also imposed visa restrictions.

However, Estonia can’t prevent Russian citizens from entering if they have a visa issued by another EU member state.

For a total EU-wide to ban to be implemented, it would require the approval of all of the bloc’s 27 member-states. 

Read more: Russia confirms Ukrtransnafta suspends oil deliveries to Europe

  • European Union
  • Schengen Zone
  • Sanctions on Russia

Most Read

Declassified: CIA’s covert Ukraine invasion plan

Declassified: CIA’s covert Ukraine invasion plan

  • Opinion
  • 16 Aug 2025
Displaced Palestinians walk through a makeshift camp along the beach in Gaza City, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)

Hamas, other factions accept Egypt-Qatar ceasefire proposal: Exclusive

  • Politics
  • 18 Aug 2025
Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Those in Occupied Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria – directly affected by Israeli occupation and apartheid – can claim their right to armed struggle under a series of UN resolutions. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Resistance and regime change in occupied Palestine

  • Opinion
  • 17 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Corbyn to Al Mayadeen: New Party to Fight for Justice and Palestine
Politics

Corbyn to Al Mayadeen: New party to fight for justice and Palestine

ap
Politics

Dutch FM Veldkamp resigns over Cabinet's block on 'Israel' sanctions

Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)
Politics

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

A young boy waves his flag among others as people gather in central Sydney for a rally Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, to support Palestinians in Gaza. (AP)
Politics

Gaza war shifts 'Israel'-Australia ties: Canberra recognizes Palestine

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS