Vistulange wrote:Shamhnan Insir wrote:What do we think of the EU visa ban on Russians?
I think it's fair. Can't be party to a country bombing the shit out of a neighbor and consider it unfair that the other neighbors will deny you a cosy holiday destination.
Pretty much what Picairn said. There's a balance to be struck between "make the Russians feel it" and "hearts and minds". I feel that banning visas for Russians isn't particularly productive, and mostly contributes to the animosity. Hell, if we want to be a touch dramatic, we could even say it might contribute to a feeling of, wait for it, a "clash of civilisations" (I hate myself for referencing Huntington).
There is very little gained by blocking Russians from the EU. As Picairn pointed out, the folks who like to go to Europe, such as those with yachts sitting in some European marina or another, will not be deterred by this as they will probably put their connections into play—Gerhard Schröder, anybody?—and the ordinary Russian will be stuck, but with what reason, that is unclear.
It would also promote racism against Russians.