EU works on several fronts to curb Russian entry into the bloc

The European Union is working on several measures to reduce the number of Russian citizens able to enter the bloc. The most far-reaching option is a total ban on non-essential travel into the Schengen zone, the area where border checks between member states have been abolished. Brussels and several member states have pointed out that people using Russian diplomatic cover or tourist visas have played key roles in hybrid attacks in the EU.

German authorities said the main suspect in the August drone attack on Leipzig airport, which caused major traffic disruption, is a Belarusian-Russian citizen. He entered the EU on a Schengen tourist visa issued by Italy.

A long-term solution

An EU presidency policy paper seen by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) says the only effective long-term solution would be visa restrictions banning non-essential travel for applicants of one nationality. This would require changing the EU visa code by qualified majority: 55 percent of member states representing 65 percent of the EU population. A broader overhaul of the code could come later this year, but several southern member states remain reluctant to cut off all people-to-people contact with Russians.

After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU fully suspended its visa facilitation agreement with Russia. Brussels also issued nonbinding guidelines prioritising essential travel, such as for humanitarian reasons or family reunification. As a result, national approaches differ: countries on the eastern flank issue visas very rarely, while southern states have been more generous. In 2025, 477,878 tourist visas were issued to Russians, most of them by Greece, Italy, France and Spain.

Three parallel tracks

Until a full ban is decided, the EU is pursuing three measures: banning ex-combatants who fought in Ukraine, restricting Russian diplomats' movement, and using limited territorial validity (LTV) visas, which allow stay only in the issuing country. The paper describes LTV visas as an interim step, but warns that they undermine mutual trust and offer insufficient security guarantees, given the near absence of internal border controls.

European consulates in Russia may soon have to check military service documents, though many consulate staff are Russian citizens whom Moscow has reportedly threatened with legal action. Proposals also include requiring diplomats to obtain prior authorisation to travel to another member state and limiting how long they can stay in a host country, in order to disrupt spy networks.