EU may restrict entry for Russian military – France and Italy secured a softening of the proposal
Kyiv • UNN
The European Union limited the visa ban only to Russian military personnel who took part in hostilities after February 2022. France and Italy opposed the initial version due to legal and administrative reasons.
The European Union has narrowed its initial proposal to ban the issuance of visas to Russian military personnel and veterans after objections from France and Italy. The updated version will be discussed by EU ambassadors as part of the preparation of the 21st sanctions package against Russia, reports UNN citing Euronews.
Details
Initially, the European Commission proposed banning the issuance of visas to all individuals who served in the Russian armed forces, including administrative and logistics personnel. After revision, the document now applies only to short-term visas and concerns military personnel who directly participated in combat operations against Ukraine after the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
France and Italy opposed the initial version, emphasizing that the issue of visa issuance falls under migration policy, not sanctions legislation. In addition, they warned of a significant administrative burden on consular offices that process a large number of applications from Russian citizens.
The updated proposal also expands the list of exceptions. While previously exemptions from the ban were provided only for Russian dissidents or military personnel who had deserted, now entry may also be permitted for humanitarian reasons, in the interests of the state, or to fulfill international obligations. In such cases, the visa will be valid only on the territory of the issuing country.
Despite the softening, Paris and Rome continue to express legal reservations, particularly regarding the responsibility of consular services for verifying applicants and potential lawsuits.
At the same time, a number of Northern and Eastern European states criticize the position of France and Italy, pointing out that these very countries continued to issue a significant number of tourist visas to Russian citizens after the start of the war.
According to Euronews, the new restrictions are planned to be included in the 21st EU sanctions package, which could be approved as early as mid-July.