Germany denies issuing visas to holders of 'DPR/LPR passports'

The German Federal Foreign Office has denied media reports regarding the issuance of visas to holders of "DPR/LPR passports."
"The statement that the Federal Government makes no distinction between Russian passports and passports for annexed areas is untrue. We do not know any case if a Russian passport issued on the basis of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's decrees already had a visa," the agency said in a response to Ukrinform's query.

It also said that Germany, together with partners in the European Union, fully supports the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.

"Germany condemns Russian presidential decrees simplifying the granting of Russian citizenship to residents of Luhansk and Donetsk regions. They contradict the spirit and objectives of the Minsk agreements and violate the sovereignty of Ukraine," the Federal Foreign Office said.

The diplomatic office added that residents of Ukrainian descent from annexed regions can obtain a biometric passport of Ukraine and travel to Germany without a visa.

It also recalled that EU member states made it clear in a joint statement following the EU-Ukraine Summit on July 8: "The EU stands ready to consider further options, including non-recognition of Russian passports issued in contradiction to the Minsk agreements, in close coordination with its international partners."

Germany is currently holding discussions at the EU level on the unified handling of passports issued in eastern Ukraine, the Federal Foreign Office said. The technical details of such a scheme still need clarification.

On September 24, German tabloid newspaper Bild published an article claiming that Germany allegedly affixes visas into "passports" issued by Russia to residents of the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, without making a distinction between Russian passports and these "documents."

According to the article, almost 100,000 visas have been issued by the German authorities to holders of Russian passports since April. However, it is unclear how many visas were affixed into Russian passports issued to residents of occupied Donbas.