EU summons Russian envoy over travel bans on Brussels officials

The bloc conveys ‘strong condemnation and objection’ to Moscow’s blacklisting of eight EU officials.

The European Union has summoned Russia’s Ambassador Vladimir Chizhov to condemn Moscow’s decision to bar eight officials from entering the country in retaliation for sanctions imposed on Russian citizens by the EU. Diplomatic tensions have continued to rise since the start of 2021, when Moscow expelled European diplomats during an official visit by the EU’s high representative. The EU has in turn angered Moscow by demanding that Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny should be released from prison, while blacklisting more Russian officials for human rights abuses.