The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on the United States to restore the operation of US visa centers in Russia, citing the need to address discriminatory practices and preparations for the FIFA World Cup.
Currently, Russian citizens can only obtain US visas through third countries such as Kazakhstan or Poland, while American citizens receive Russian visas at Russian diplomatic missions in the United States. Moscow described this arrangement as discriminatory.
"We hope the American authorities will ultimately cancel the existing discriminatory visa requirements for Russian citizens",
the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Russian diplomats emphasized the urgency of the matter, noting the approaching FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted primarily in the United States this summer
