"While many in Moscow consider their country an integral part of Europe" Where on earth do you get that idea? Most Russians believe Russia is Russia not Europe. We are represented in the Orwellian world as Eurasia.... The power that you want to kiss up to is known as Oceania in that Orwellian World. EU and US governments seem to want this path with draconian laws being passed with the excuse, "War on Terror". Europeans look at Russians with contempt and are afraid of a visa free system because they think we will flood their countries, trying to escape our "awful" world in Russia. I honestly don't like dealing with bad people and the EU officials represent no one to me as their authority is that of no one. People never gave them the right. As always, my comment will be deleted by RT and their censor boards. I have 75% of my comments removed. Thank you.

Having simple visa procedures or no visa (on both sides) will make more changes than a NATO AGREEMENT! this is most needed thing to change each others views. People do make a difference when they can move. luca

Luca, Absolutely correct, people travelling freely is the way to go for a better world. Artyom, You write good stuff, take 75% cencorship as a compliment::-) I personally think there are two Europes in one now. Old Europe has worked out it needs as much commercial activity as it can to have future prosperity for its people, hence the closer ties wanted with Russia. Eastern Europe is locked in the political island of hatred. They concentreate more on hating than the welfare of their own peope. Don't get me wrong, the EU is a monster in terms of non democratic government and insipid corruption. However, we best make the most of it as Russians and that means trying to bring our peoples together at grass roots level with all other people of the world. I can think of no better way than more people travelling and becoming familiar with each other than easing travel restrictions.

"are afraid of a visa free system because they think we will flood their countries,"-- People are different. But visa-free regime is impossible for another reason, economical one. EU gets a lot of money through visas. Must confess though that our authorities responsible for visas abroad are awful as far as I know. Even the customs officers on the Finnish boarder are bribe takers when possible.

I would like to see a visa free europe and United States. A visa free Russia would be awesome for me since I like to visit Russia. I also think there would be less trouble in the world if the people of each country were free to travel and get to know each other. I was amazed at how open and kind the Russian people are and they should have a chance to know the American people and the people in the rest of Europe.

Good move for Russia and Europe, but I agree with Artyom - false pretenses have been used by RT to justify the move. I hope Russia will never become "an integral part of Europe" and will always exist as independent and self-sufficient entity just like China or India.

Russia will rue the day they decided not to have visas with Western Europe. Time will tell. All countries should have visas to protect their national sovereighty.

@counting cash. I wish to be more optimistic as you, but having looked at Russia since the 1990's when pretty much an era that birthed a whole Russian population in America itself has done very little to inspire Americans to have a better attitude towards Russia. It didn't prevent expansion of NATO or other forms of subterfuge they engage with their classic smiles as if they're innocent. I am referring to the government in that sense. Traveling has done very little other than allow people to vacation easier. I am little concerned with vacation in nations that refer to us usual people as terrorist by palm print, biometric eye scanning, and full nude body scanners, just for some photographic memories. Which in most of those Western nations could get you into trouble as photographing is one of their noted signs of terrorism. The fact is, this "New Europe" is part of a plan for larger government and larger government isn't a good thing. It equals more poverty and fewer rich and powerful. The people will have less control as EU officials have little accountability. People refer to EU as the EUSSR for a reason. How many times did they try to become a nation state? Many and they didn't take NO for an answer. The EU constitution was blocked, they repackaged it as Lisbon Treaty. It was blocked and then went to a few nations that had some resemblance of democracy, like Ireland and Czech Republic, but elections are easily defrauded as Color Revolutions have shown. Then those power hungering officials finally got their wish. More Global institutions are arising. World Bank, WTO, World Health Organization, International Monetary Fund.... etc. What has the IMF done for Ukraine? What have they done for anyone? This is why Russia should be Russia and not worry about others.

Artyon, I support the European Union (EU), which is necessary in a World with a rising China of 1,3 bn. people and a US of 300 million people (even if it is true that at present the EU is an American Protectorate). The E.U. has a population of 500 million people. Turkey (73 million people) also has a Customs Union with the E.U. and probably the Russian Federation (142 million people) will join the Customs Union with the E.U. during the next decade. The Euro has been a success and thanks to the Euro Russia could diversify its currency reserves (which were mostly held in USD before) President Medvedev said that the World needs a Global Currency. This year, Russia will join the WTO (World Trade Organisation), as China did over a decade ago. You are wrong when you say "more global institutions are arising" because those institutions were created after WWII, over 50 years ago, so they are not new but very old. And the most interconnected nations are, with a common regulation for a number of products, the better for commerce, exports, imports and security.

I welcome the abolition of visa between Russia and the EU. Russia is part of Europe and the European family. The closer Russia and the EU come the better for citizens of both. Visiting each other freely brings about cohesion of peoples and smashes the absurd myths people like to create about other countries based only on ignorance. When we see how each other lives first hand, only then do we realize we are not much different to each other. The easier governments make this possible the better for the human race.

I would welcome the abolition of visas. It would be good to be able to travel around Russia freely without complicated rules about having a fixed itinerary. And no doubt Russian travellers would be happy not to have to pay for visas to see EU countries. Bring it on! We are all citizens of the universe.