First read is on us.

Subscribe today to keep up with the latest travel industry news.

President Putin pushes for visa-free travel between Russia and the EU


Skift Take

Putin says visa requirements thwart trade between the states, but EU officials could be slow to open borders if they’re weary of a wave of labor migration entering on the union during a recession.

The Russian President criticized the existing visa regime between Russia and the European Union, saying it is thwarting the development of economic relations between the trading partners.

What does a country like Guatemala have that Russia does not? The freedom of its citizens to travel to the EU without a visa.

Putin expressed the hope that Moscow and Brussels will find the political will to make progress in tackling the visa issue.

“We will not blow this situation out of proportion, but we are doing concrete things: I have a long list of countries whose citizens do not need visas to visit the EU," Putin said at the Russia-EU summit in Brussels on Friday.

Up Next

Hotels

How Data Quality Issues Impact Global Hospitality Operations

There are wide discrepancies in data quality for hotel transactions across global regions, with the largest occurring in Asia-Pacific. Because hotels and agencies need to harness data quality to thrive, they must take a more nuanced regional approach to monitoring potential issues.
Sponsored
Tourism

Global Travel Poised for Continued Growth in 2025

Last year marked a turning point for global travel. Unlike the two prior years, which focused on recovering back to pre-pandemic levels, 2024 saw the industry shift its focus to…