Foreign ministers of European Union member states are unlikely to agree at a council this week to impose a complete ban on issuing passport visas to all citizens of Russia without exception, a decision that would require unanimity, High Representative Josep Borrell said, speaking to Austria’s ÖRF TV network.

“I don’t think cutting off the relationship with the Russian civilian population will help and I don’t think this idea will get the necessary unanimity,” Mr. Borrell, who chairs the EU’s foreign affairs councils, explained in remarks to the Austrian public television.

“I think we need to review the way visas are given to some Russians, certainly not to oligarchs. We have to be more selective. But I am not in favor of stopping giving visas to all Russians” without exception, added the head of European diplomacy.