Tags: supermarket | eu | russia

Zelenskyy: EU Should Not Be a "Supermarket" for Rich Russians

Zelenskyy: EU Should Not Be a "Supermarket" for Rich Russians
(Getty)

Friday, 12 August 2022 07:43 PM EDT

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a fresh call on Friday for European Union states to ban visas for Russian nationals to keep the bloc from becoming a "supermarket" open to anyone with the means to enter.

Zelenskyy said his proposal did not apply to Russians who needed help for risking their freedom or their lives by resisting Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's policies.

"There must be guarantees that Russian killers or accomplices of state terror not use Schengen visas," Zelenskyy said in a nightly address, referring to visas granting the holder access to the border-free Schengen Area that spans several EU states.

"Secondly, we must not destroy the very idea of Europe - our common European values. Europe must therefore not be transformed into a supermarket where it is not important who walks in and where the main thing is that people just pay for their goods."

Zelenskyy first urged a visa ban in an interview this week with the Washington Post, saying Russians should live in their own world until they changed their philosophy.

Zelenskyy's appeal has yet to win support from the EU's major players. But he said he was heartened by support from the ex-Soviet Baltic states and the Czech Republic, current rotating EU president. Finland has also backed the notion.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denounced Zelenskyy's appeal this week, saying "any attempt to isolate Russians or Russia is a process that has no prospects."

© 2026 Thomson/Reuters. All rights reserved.


GlobalTalk
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a fresh call on Friday for European Union states to ban visas for Russian nationals to keep the bloc from becoming a "supermarket" open to anyone with the means to enter.
supermarket, eu, russia
237
2022-43-12
Friday, 12 August 2022 07:43 PM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
 
TOP

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
NEWSMAX.COM
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved