Kyiv may require biometric passports when entering Ukraine from Russia
Kyiv could introduce biometric passports for Russians entering Ukraine, said Mariana Betsa, press secretary of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, in a broadcast of the TV channel 112 Ukraine.
According to her, the Ukrainian foreign policy department will support the introduction of visa requirements with Russia “In future, in the broader perspective, it will also be possible to introduce entry exclusively by means of biometric passports, with visas, with registration at the migration services, as it is, for example, in Russia itself, where one needs to register in three days,” the Foreign Ministry press secretary specified.
However, according to her, the matter must be approached “in a balanced way”, and “with understanding”, since there are many Ukrainians in Russia, between 3 and 4 million.
Betsa believes that it is also necessary to take into account the “uncertainty” regarding entering the Crimea from mainland Ukraine and otherwise, if Russia also introduces visa requirements with Ukraine.
On June 6, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke for the possibility of Russia introducing measures in response to Kyiv’s actions, if Kyiv introduces visa requirements for Russians.
On June 9, Pavlo Klimkin, head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, said that the department is ready to introduce visas with Russia, if Kyiv makes the relevant ruling. He also allowed for the possibility of introducing entry by means of biometric passports.
At a concert event for the start of the visa-free scheme with the EU on June 10, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko congratulated the country’s citizens with poetry citations from the Russian classics Mikhail Lermontov and Alexander Pushkin. “Farewell, unwashed Russia, land of slaves, and land of lords...” he read, citing Lermontov.
Additionally, according to the Ukrainian president’s press service, Poroshenko “separately addressed the Russians who, under conditions of cruel imperial dictatorship, find in themselves the courage to condemn Russian aggression against Ukraine, and find the courage to demand democratic rights and freedom”. For them he cited Alexander Pushkin: “Comrade, have faith, the star of enchanting happiness will rise, Russia will rouse herself from her sleep and on the ruins of a fallen tyranny, our names will be recorded.”
On May 17, Ukraine and the EU signed the final agreement to introduce a visa-free scheme. It gives Ukrainian citizens the right to enter and stay in EU member-states for up to 90 days every 180 days without a visa. Ukrainians will still need visas for other purposes.