Germany Calls on European Union for Visa Restrictions on Russian Citizens
Following recent sabotage attempts attributed to Moscow, the Berlin government has called on its European Union partners to tighten tourist visas for Russians.
Following recent sabotage attacks, Germany has called on its European Union partners to increase tourist visa restrictions for Russian citizens. The Berlin government argues that this situation poses security risks.
Germany's Request for Visa Restrictions
Following recent sabotage acts, Germany demanded that its European partners introduce stricter limitations on the entry of Russian citizens into the European Union. Berlin states that the current number of visas contradicts the spirit of the Ukraine war sanctions.
Leipzig Airport Sabotage Investigation
German authorities are investigating an individual holding both Belarusian and Russian passports in connection with an alleged attempted drone and explosives attack on Leipzig Airport.
It is stated that the suspect entered the Schengen area with a tourist visa issued by the Italian embassy in Minsk, but according to security sources, they have never actually traveled to Italy.
Italy's Visa Data and Reactions
Data revealed that the number of Schengen visas issued by Italy to Russian citizens rose from 63,894 in 2021 to over 165,000 in 2025. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that visas are issued when conditions are met and there are no individual alerts.
While Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the Czech Republic have largely stopped issuing visas to Russian citizens, other member states continue to issue them in large numbers.
Additional Measures Taken by Germany
Due to the incident in Leipzig, Germany announced measures against the Kremlin, such as closing the Russian consulate in Bonn, summoning the Russian ambassador, and intensifying the monitoring of the Russian shadow fleet in the Baltic Sea. Additionally, the EU announced its 22nd sanctions package.