Poland, the Baltic and Nordic countries want to impose a ban on Russian nationals who have fought against Ukraine, restricting their entry to the Schengen Area.
In a meeting of the interior ministers from the Baltic states, Nordic countries, and Poland that was held on June 19, the authorities discussed preventing entry into the Schengen countries for Russians who took part in the war against Ukraine, Schengen.News reports.
There are hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens who have fought against Ukraine. We must take a clear stance; these individuals cannot freely travel across Schengen.
So far, countries like Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland have pushed for tighter rules on Russian nationals, especially for security reasons. All the countries have the closest geographical proximity to Russia.
No Visas for Individuals That Jeopardise National Security, Estonian Minister Says
According to Estonian broadcaster ERR, these countries are pushing for a ban on Russian nationals who fought in the war against Ukraine in efforts to protect the bloc’s security.
The Estonian Minister highlighted that this group will not be issued visas or residence permits, restricting Russians’ movement to the Schengen Area even further.
We will not issue them residence permits or visas. This group, which has been killing and destroying, poses a very significant security threat to all of us.
These measures follow Russia’s increased hybrid operations targeting the European Union. EU security agencies warned several times of Russian-linked operations, including arson attacks.
Poland, Nordic & Baltic Countries Call on EU to Tighten Rules for Russian Nationals
Following this meeting, interior ministers of these countries have issued a joint statement, calling on the rest of the Schengen countries to join them in this cause to protect the bloc’s integrity.
Member States should take all necessary measures to ensure that individuals who are or have been contracted by the Russian armed forces or other armed groups acting on behalf of the regime are not allowed to undermine our security or move freely within the Schengen Area.
According to statistics published by SchengenVisaInfo, Russians are the fifth nationality group with the highest number of Schengen visa applicants for 2024, despite the ongoing sanctions, as several Schengen states are no longer accepting applications from this country.
