European States Push to Restrict Russian Tourist Visas

Sweden and ten other European countries have called on the European Commission to tighten the rules for granting tourist visas to Russian citizens. Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell described it as unacceptable that hundreds of thousands of Russians are permitted to holiday in Europe while the war in Ukraine continues.

Interior and migration ministers from the 11 countries sent a joint letter to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and EU migration commissioner Magnus Brunner, arguing that current rules are inconsistent, create security risks and undermine the European Union's sanctions policy against Russia.

According to figures cited in the letter, almost 478,000 Russian citizens were granted Schengen tourist visas in 2025, up from 441,000 the previous year. Forssell criticised the situation, saying that many Russians travel to Europe for shopping and leisure at weekends while Ukrainians are dying on the front line.

Russian authorities did not immediately respond. Moscow has long maintained that European countries pursue a discriminatory policy towards Russians and have been stoking anti-Russian sentiment.

The letter was signed by Sweden, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Poland, among the most vocal advocates of tougher action against Russia since its invasion of Ukraine.

(reuters, max)