Key facts
- The EU is discussing a revised proposal to ban visas for Russian soldiers and military veterans.
- The narrowed ban focuses on short-stay visas for individuals directly involved in the fighting in Ukraine.
- France and Italy had previously objected to a broader ban, citing practical and policy concerns.
- Exemptions have been expanded to include humanitarian reasons and national interest.
- The proposal is part of the EU's 21st package of sanctions against Russia.
The European Union is considering a significantly narrowed version of a proposed ban on visas for Russian soldiers and military veterans, a measure intended to be part of the 21st package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The revised proposal emerged after France and Italy pushed back against the original, broader ban.
EU ambassadors were set to discuss the measure, which now focuses on short-stay visas and targets only individuals who have directly participated in the fighting in Ukraine since February 2022. This approach aims to address concerns raised by Paris and Rome regarding the practicality of a wider ban, particularly given Russia's mandatory military conscription, and their preference for such measures to fall under visa policy rather than sanctions.
Ireland, currently holding the EU presidency, put forward the proposal to limit the ban to short-stay visas and to individuals actively involved in combat. The scope has also been refined to include those serving in Russia's armed forces or irregular forces controlled by Moscow. Exemptions have been broadened to cover humanitarian reasons, national interest, or international obligations, though travel under these exceptions would be limited to the issuing EU country.
The European Commission has offered to update its guidance on visa issuance and revise required supporting documents to mitigate the administrative burden on consular services. However, France and Italy have continued to voice legal concerns about potential liability for consular services if travel bans are breached. This stance has met resistance from northern and eastern European countries, which process a higher volume of Russian tourist visas.