To date, Russia and Ukraine have not even determined preliminary deadlines for introducing a new procedure for mutual travel using foreign passports. "At least from July 1, 2003, contrary to emerging reports, this will not happen," said diplomatic sources in Moscow. Russian diplomats noted that "in January it is already too late to talk about July 1 as the date for switching to foreign passports."
"People in Russia and Ukraine should be informed about the upcoming change in the procedure for mutual travel at least six months before the entry into force of the relevant agreement, which does not yet exist in any form - neither orally nor on paper," said the interlocutors of Interfax-Ukraine. They confirmed that experts from the two countries are indeed negotiating to reduce the list of documents with which citizens of the two countries will travel to Russia and Ukraine, and subsequently switch to travel only with foreign passports.
"The transition to using foreign passports for mutual travel is a forced measure caused by the need to combat illegal migration," the diplomats explained. At the same time, they emphasized that "although the timing of the introduction of new rules has not yet been agreed upon, those Russians and Ukrainians who do not have a foreign passport should already think about obtaining one."
Currently, in accordance with the 1997 agreement, citizens of the two countries, regardless of the purpose of the trip, can enter the territory of Russia or Ukraine using documents that prove identity and confirm citizenship - foreign and internal passports, regardless of the region. Children can travel on the basis of a birth certificate, and military personnel - on the basis of an identity card. For citizens of other CIS states, having a foreign passport when entering Ukraine became mandatory from January 1, 2002.
Representatives of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry believe that the innovation in the procedure for crossing the Ukrainian-Russian border using foreign passports will primarily negatively affect Russian citizens, who are more numerous. As stated by the head of the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Serhiy Borodenkov, negotiations between the two countries are still ongoing, "the process of coordinating all points is underway." But Ukraine's position and that of Ukrainian experts regarding the innovation is negative. "This will be a premature decision that could have a negative impact on both Ukrainian and Russian citizens," said Serhiy Borodenkov.
This position of the Ukrainian side is explained primarily by socio-economic reasons. "The fact is that today not all citizens are provided with foreign passports, and if they are introduced in July, given the current difficult economic situation, when people simply do not have the means to obtain one, they will have problems," a competent source in diplomatic circles told the Interfax-Ukraine agency. The diplomat did not rule out that the Russian side's initiative to switch to travel with foreign passports in such a short time "is a tactical move" and is not least related to political differences.
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