The European Commission is finalizing proposals to tighten visa regulations for Russian citizens visiting the EU as tourists, aiming to reinforce the bloc’s defenses against state- sabotage and hybrid threats, Politico reported.
Citing EU officials, the report stated that the EU executive plans to present the legislative package in January, following pressure from a coalition of member states including Sweden , Poland , and Estonia .
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The proposed measures seek to restrict the issuance of Schengen visas to Russian nationals and establish targeted entry bans against former combatants who served in the Russian armed forces during the war against Ukraine .
Approximately 478,000 Schengen tourist visas were issued to Russian citizens last year, a substantial portion of which were multiple-entry permits that allow unrestricted travel across the 29-nation border-free zone.
European security officials argue that maintaining open travel channels provides hostile intelligence services with operational conduits to execute surveillance, arson, and infrastructure sabotage across the continent. Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer warned that current border protocols leave member states exposed to foreign infiltration.
“It’s obvious I think for everyone that we have vulnerabilities in our system that can be used by our enemies,” Strömmer told Politico.
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“As far as I understand things, the Commission is preparing a proposal that, according to what I have heard, should be launched in January year. From a Swedish point of view, we would love to see it even earlier.”
Strömmer welcomed growing support among EU capitals for a stricter visa framework, noting that cross-border travel rules must align with contemporary security realities.
Security risks and ex-combatant entry ban
Frontline European governments plan to elevate the visa debate during a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, Oct. 12, where ministers will also consider prospective travel restrictions on accredited Russian diplomats moving between member states.
Estonia has advocated for a comprehensive, EU-wide entry ban specifically targeting former Russian military personnel. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna estimated that approximately 650,000 former combatants could eventually seek entry into Europe, warning that without unified screening protocols, individual national bans would prove insufficient to safeguard the Schengen area.
“I believe that a significant number of these former combatants, supported by Russian intelligence services, will come to Europe,” Tsahkna told Politico.
“They will take control of our organized crime, be well-armed, and be supported by Russia to carry out terrorist attacks or assaults on our society. So this is very serious.”
European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner noted that while Russian visa issuances initially fell following the February 2022 full-scale invasion, travel volumes have plateaued rather than continuing to decline.
“The numbers are no longer decreasing,” Brunner stated, urging national immigration authorities to exercise greater discretion. “We call on member states to do a better job and issue fewer visas to Russian citizens. You never know who these tourists really are.”
The initiative to restrict Russian traveler access arrives amid broader debates within the EU regarding economic pressure and diplomatic countermeasures directed at Moscow.
In late September, EU member states agreed to extend sanctions against more than 3,000 Russian individuals and entities for a multi-year term of three years, moving away from standard six-month or one-year rollover intervals.
However, that agreement followed contentious negotiations during which ambassadors approved the removal of Russian tycoons Mikhail Fridman and Alisher Usmanov from the sanctions registry following legal challenges and diplomatic requests from several member states.
The delistings drew criticism from Kyiv.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha warned that easing individual restrictions sends counterproductive signals to the Kremlin during an expanding campaign of Russian hybrid actions against European transport networks, industrial plants, and communications infrastructure.
European security services have linked Russian military and intelligence agencies to multiple kinetic sabotage incidents across EU territory over recent months, including arson attacks on logistics hubs in Poland and the United Kingdom, GPS jamming affecting civil aviation over the Baltic Sea, and drone surveillance of critical defense installations.
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