The Russian Foreign Ministry believes that Europe wants to cut off competitors by banning athletes from entering.
Calls to ban Russian athletes from entering the Schengen area are related to winter sports competition, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, referring to the corresponding statement by Finnish Foreign Minister Alina Veltonen. "It is clear why we hear such statements from a number of northern European countries: of course, these were our traditional competitors, especially in winter sports," she said at a briefing on Thursday, referring to Veltonen's statement of intentions to ban entry to the Schengen area for Russian athletes in 2027. On the way, but apparently they can't do otherwise," Zakharova added.