The European Commission has submitted a proposal on non-recognition of Russian passports issued in the occupied territories of Ukraine. This is stated in a statement on the EC website.

 The Commission proposes a joint EU approach to the non-recognition of Russian passports issued in occupied foreign regions, as Russia currently spreads the practice of issuing ordinary Russian passports in territories not under the control of the Ukrainian government, in particular in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

 "Member states should not recognize Russian passports issued in the occupied territories of Ukraine as valid documents for obtaining a visa and crossing the EU's external borders. This legislative proposal will ensure a mandatory approach applied in all member states, replacing voluntary actions taken by states - members after the illegal annexation of Crimea," the statement reads.

 Now the European Parliament and the Council of the EU must decide on the proposal not to recognize Russian travel documents issued in occupied foreign regions.

 The measures will enter into force on the first day after their publication in the Official Journal of the EU.