Norway to Block Entry for Most Russian Tourists

Facts

• Norway on Thursday said it will further tighten the entry rules for Russian travelers in response to 'Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.'¹
• As described by an official government statement: 'Russian citizens whose purpose is tourism and other non-essential travel will be rejected upon entry across the external border. The restriction applies both to those who have visas issued by Norway before visa practices were restricted in the spring of 2022 and to visas issued by other Schengen countries.'²
• At the border, officials will turn away Russians traveling for leisure or non-essential reasons. However, exceptions will be made, including for those visiting relatives in Norway.³
• Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov termed the rules 'purely discriminatory,' warning such moves 'cannot remain unanswered' and could worsen Russia-Norway relations.⁴
• This comes a day after Norway's internal security service said that there's a possible risk of sabotage against Norwegian weapons manufacturers selling arms to Ukraine.⁵

Sources: ¹POLITICO, ²Government.no, ³Yahoo News, ⁴Newsweek and ⁵ABC News.

Narratives

• Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by POLITICO. Norway's decision to bar the majority of Russians is a direct response to the Kremlin's increased intelligence-gathering activities. There are concerns that Moscow may seek to sabotage in European countries. The decision to strengthen the entrance criteria aligns with Norway's commitment to supporting allies and partners.
• Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by SWI swissinfo.ch. Unfortunately, Norway has chosen to further deteriorate bilateral ties with Russia. Moscow has no intention of responding in a similar manner. While the Kremlin will not prohibit Norwegian citizens from entering Russia, it will implement punitive measures in response. Norway's hostile move will have repercussions.

Predictions