The Russian Embassy in Washington has accused the United States of starting a “visa war” and imposing on Russia the practice of personal visa exchanges. The corresponding statement was published on the social network Facebook.
“It was the United States that initiated the so-called visa war, imposed on us the practice of personal visa exchange, when employees of Russian foreign missions receive entry permits only in conjunction with issuing visas for American workers,” the embassy said.
The diplomats stressed that the responsibility for the visa deadlock lies entirely with the American side. Russia has repeatedly called on the United States to fully normalize relations in the consular and visa sphere.
On December 19, it became known about the US decision to close its consulates in Russia. At the same time, the State Department explained that such measures are associated with the optimization of the work of the American diplomatic mission. The State Duma of Russia considered that the closure of consulates general could be associated with the anti-Russian fever of the head of the US State Department, Mike Pompeo.
The consulate in Vladivostok was temporarily closed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. In Yekaterinburg, it continued to work, but on a limited basis. If closed, the only US diplomatic center in Russia will be the embassy in Moscow.
