Amidst the ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, the security of the European Union remains vulnerable due to persistent gaps in its external border policies. According to a report by Polskieradio.pl, a coalition of nine EU member states, alongside Iceland and Norway, has officially petitioned the European Commission to drastically tighten visa restrictions for citizens of the Russian Federation. The initiators argue that the growing number of Schengen visas issued to Russian nationals represents a direct threat to European collective security.
The joint letter, addressed to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner, was signed by Poland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and the Netherlands, as well as non-EU Schengen partners Iceland and Norway. The ministers expressed deep concern over the moral and security implications of allowing Russian tourists to vacation on European beaches while Ukrainian cities continue to suffer under daily missile and drone strikes.
Statistics compiled by the Polish news agency PAP highlight the scale of the issue. In 2025, the number of Schengen visas issued to Russians rose by 10% compared to 2024, totaling 623,000, of which nearly 480,000 were tourist visas. Alarmingly, a significant portion of these approvals consisted of multiple-entry visas. The coalition emphasizes that this trend directly violates the European Commission’s guidelines, which advocate for a strict and highly restrictive approach to Russian applicants traveling for non-essential reasons.
The primary concern remains national security. The ministers warned that easy access to the Schengen zone, particularly for Russian combatants who have participated in the war of aggression, poses severe intelligence and hybrid warfare risks. The current disparity in implementation is glaring: while frontline states like Poland and the Baltics have virtually halted visa issuance, southern and western European nations—namely France, Italy, and Spain—remain the main entry points for Russian travelers.
As the next travel season approaches, the eleven-nation coalition has demanded immediate reforms. They call on the European Commission to amend the Visa Code, launch systematic audits on how member states enforce existing rules, mandate regular reporting on multi-entry visas, and impose a comprehensive ban on entry for any individuals linked to the Russian military apparatus. Bridging these policy gaps is critical to maintaining a unified and secure Europe.