The EU Is Finalizing Visa Restrictions That Will Affect Hundreds Of Thousands Of Russians
4- 11.10.2026, 12:59
- 1,420
The key topic of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday, October 12.
European Union officials are finalizing plans to tighten visa requirements for hundreds of thousands of Russians who enter EU countries as tourists each year, according to Politico.
EU officials said that the European Commission is preparing to present the relevant proposals as early as next year. A group of countries, including Poland, Sweden, and Estonia, has been pushing for stricter visa rules for Russian citizens, particularly for those who previously participated in the war against Ukraine.
The publication notes that in 2025, Russian citizens were issued approximately 478,000 tourist visas to the Schengen Area. A significant portion of these were multiple-entry visas, allowing holders to cross the border freely without having to apply for new documents each time.
As Swedish Minister of Justice Gunnar Strømmer noted, such a system poses a threat to Europe’s security amid a rise in sabotage, arson, and other manifestations of hybrid warfare organized by Moscow.
“I think it’s obvious to everyone that there are vulnerabilities in our system that enemies can exploit. As far as I know, the European Commission is preparing a proposal which, according to my information, is due to be presented in January of next year. For its part, Sweden would like to see this happen even sooner,” Strømmer noted.
Other EU countries plan to raise this issue during the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday, October 12, and also propose additional restrictions on Russian diplomats in the European Union, the article states.
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