KIEV, October 16 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine is ready to introduce visas for Russians in case there will be such a need, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on Thursday.
“If there will be need to introduce additional means of control, including a visa regime, it will be introduced,” Yatsenyuk said in an interview at the Ukrainian “24” news channel.
Ukrainian Prime Minister added that currently Ukraine is satisfied with the quality of control at the official checkpoints on the Russian-Ukrainian border and that the main priority for Kiev now is to implement the Wall project, which presupposes constructing an actual state border between Ukraine and Russia.
The issue of introducing visas for Russian citizens had been raised in March amid Kiev’s outraged objections to the reunification of Crimea with Russia. That time, addressing this issue, Yatsenyuk said Kiev should be wary of introducing a visa regime with Russia as it could negatively impact Ukrainians. He then reminded that many Ukrainians in the predominantly Russian-speaking southeastern regions of the country are interested in preserving the visa-free regime, as they often work in Russia and have relatives there.
