At the moment, there is no decision at the European level that would make it possible to stop issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens, German Foreign Ministry spokesman Christopher Burger told DW.

Burger recalled that since February 25, the decision of the Council on Foreign Relations on the partial cancellation of the visa facilitation agreement with Russia has been in effect at the EU level - especially this concerns the abolition of visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic passports and the abolition of the facilitated procedure for members of parliament and government.

With regard to the issuance of visas, the abolition of the issuance of Schengen visas can only be introduced on the basis of consensus among all Schengen countries, and at the moment there is no such decision, Burger said.

At the end of July, the Estonian government approved a decree that prohibits granting Russian citizens temporary residence permits or visas for the purpose of studying in the country. The Estonian authorities have also banned citizens of Russia and Belarus from getting a job if they have a residence permit granted by another EU member state.

Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said that at the end of August, at a meeting with EU foreign ministers, Estonia would offer to close entry to Russians and completely stop issuing visas at the EU level. According to Reinsalu, a similar discussion is underway in the Finnish government. In addition to Estonia, Latvia and the Czech Republic also reported the suspension of visa issuance.

The head of the Latvian Foreign Ministry, Edgars Rinkevics, also called on the European Union to take this step.