Sweden is leading a coalition of 10 countries pushing for tighter EU visa restrictions on Russians travelling within the Schengen area.
In a joint letter sent on Tuesday to EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner, a group of ministers called for binding new measures to curb non-essential travel by Russian nationals to the Schengen zone.
Sweden’s Migration Minister, Johan Forssell, said: “I want there to be no more shopping weekends. I want there to be no more fancy trips to Europe while Ukrainians are dying on the battlefield.”
“This situation is completely insane, and it needs to stop,” Forssell added.
Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands joined Norway and Iceland in signing the letter.