Germany won’t back call to end Russian tourist visas

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Germany does not support several fellow European countries that are calling for an EU-wide move to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens. The countries backing a visa ban say Russians should not be able to vacation in Europe while Moscow wages war in Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Monday it “is not the war of Russian people.” The prime minister of Finland, among others, backs such ban. The visa issue is expected be discussed at an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers on Aug. 31. The European Union has banned air travel from Russia after it invaded Ukraine. But Russians can still travel by land to neighboring nations and apparently are then taking flights to other European destinations.