EU Supports Tighter Visa Restrictions For Russians — Kallas

If verified, the individual implicated in the attempted drone assault on Leipzig airport may have entered the EU via a tourist visa, potentially bolstering arguments for stricter visa limitations on Russian nationals, according to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas during a press conference after an informal gathering of EU member states' foreign ministers in Ireland, as reported by UATV English.

Kallas expressed widespread endorsement for imposing a prohibition on European Union entry for former Russian combatants and tightening visa requirements for Russian tourists, following discussions at the ministers' meeting. She noted that, in light of intensified Russian strikes near EU boundaries, breaches of its airspace, and explicit threats on EU soil, numerous foreign ministers had addressed the necessity of restricting visas for Russians.

Kallas highlighted that Russia has been bombarding Ukrainian civilians in July and August more than at any point during this conflict, while simultaneously Russian citizens are receiving a warm welcome in European nations. This state of affairs, she argued, should not persist. She reminded that various EU member states had previously expressed apprehensions about Russians utilizing tourist visas to perpetrate acts of sabotage within Europe.

Kallas expressed hope that, should the suspect in the attempted Leipzig attack indeed have obtained a tourist visa, it would persuade some member states previously opposed to new visa restrictions that this is a genuine security concern for the EU. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had previously declared that the EU will not condone Russian hybrid attacks on its territory and will not retreat from further supporting Ukraine, reinforcing unity on this matter.