‘I can’t take it’: How Russia’s passports are so hard to find
The Russian government has reportedly offered the US $1 billion to help solve its passport problem.
A Russian government source told the Associated Press that the US government has made a proposal to buy passports for Russian citizens in exchange for $1.4 billion in assistance.
According to the AP, the Russian government is willing to pay the US up to $2 billion if the US offers to issue Russian passports.
The Russian government also said that it would buy passports from US-based companies if the offer of the US is accepted.
The US has previously said that its passport program is meant to protect US citizens from terrorist attacks, but critics have accused the government of using the passport program to help the Kremlin.
The AP noted that the price for passports is currently between $8 and $15 per passenger, depending on where they are purchased.
Russia has said that any Russian citizen with a valid passport will be allowed to travel to the US.