You're reading: Klimkin says Foreign Ministry ready to implement procedures for visa regime with Russia

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said that the ministry is ready to implement a decision on the introduction of a visa regime with the Russian Federation in case it is adopted.

“I believe it is not enough for us to introduce a visa regime to control those who arrive from Russia. We need to introduce biometric passports to this end, but then also control those who come,” he said on 112. Ukraine TV channel on June 8 evening.

According to the minister, today there are almost three million Ukrainians on the territory of the Russian Federation. “And at the same time we must understand what steps to take concerning our citizens who are present in the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea? What will Russia do for these contacts to be limited?” Klimkin said.

He said that he was not against the introduction of a visa regime with Russia, but he needed a clear approach and a vision of what would happen next.

“My answer is definitely yes. But this is the issue that needs to be solved both from the point of view of time frames and in terms of these procedures based on a clear approach and understanding of how Russia will try to impede this process and its attempts to draw our citizens into compulsory Russian citizenship. It must be definitely prevented,” the minister said.

“As for the procedures, the Foreign Ministry will do everything in a proper way. We are getting ready and we have the appropriate experience, so you do not need to worry about the Foreign Ministry in this regard,” he said.