(31 Aug 2022)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Prague - 31 August 2022
1. Arrival of Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister
2. Close of camera
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister:
"The age of peace in Europe is over, and so is the age of half measures. Half measures is exactly what led to the large scale invasion - half measures taken with regard to Russia is exactly what led to the large scale invasion on the 24th of February. We have to be principled, tough and make strong decisions. If I have to choose between a half measure and no measure, I will prefer a no measure and continue a discussion until a strong solution is found. But I called on ministers to make the right choice, and adjust their visa policy for Russian citizens accordingly."
4. Mid of journalist
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister:
"Currently, there are Russian army, Russian Rosatom (Russian state-run nuclear power corporation) representatives - and by the way, Rosatom hijacked the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, and Rosatom has not been sanctioned yet. It's a very weird situation. We demand that Rosatom is also put under sanctions. (Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael) Grossi and his mission are on the way to somewhere close to the station, and they will make it to the station the moment that the security passage will be guaranteed, because that requires crossing the frontline. We hope this will happen very soon, we keep our fingers crossed."
6. Close of sign
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister:
"The Russians who support Putin, who like to wear a t-shirt with 'Z' (military symbol) and go to Paris to shop at Lafayette (French department shop) or to go to Berlin, or somewhere else - it doesn't make sense. I think it's an issue of self-respect for Europeans as well, that they do not allow the Russians to laugh at them and to exploit them. Like, okay, "we do whatever we want and we still can travel and enjoy Europe because Europe is weak and cannot stop us from going." Again, we want two categories of people to have access - humanitarian grounds, political grounds - but we see from many indicators that the Russians do not understand a simple thing, that until you do not start to respect borders of another country, you cannot cross them. If you do not respect the borders of your neighbours, if you do not respect Europe, stay at home and enjoy Russia. We think it's a fair, fair deal."
8. Close of camera
9. Kuleba departing from the EU Foreign Ministers meeting
STORYLINE:
European Union countries agreed Wednesday to make it harder for Russian citizens to enter the 27-nation bloc, but they failed to find a consensus on imposing an outright tourist ban in response to Russia's war on Ukraine, which the Ukrainian Foreign Minister described as "a half measure."
Dmytro Kuleba said after the meeting in Prague that visas should only be issued to Russians on humanitarian grounds or to help those who clearly oppose Putin's war.
"The age of peace in Europe is over, and so is the age of half measures. Half measures is exactly what led to the large scale invasion," said Kuleba.
"If I have to choose between half measure and no measure, I will prefer a no measure and continue a discussion until a strong solution is found," he added.
Kuleba said he called on ministers to "make the right choice, and adjust their visa policy for Russian citizens accordingly."
The move will be done by freezing a 2007 agreement to ease travel between Russia and Europe.
AP Video shot by: Mark Carlson
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