Germany is urging its European partners to introduce tighter limitations on Russian citizens entering the EU on tourist visas. This follows recent sabotage attacks that Berlin has attributed to Moscow.
German authorities are currently investigating a Belarusian national, who also holds a Russian passport, in connection with an alleged attempt to attack Leipzig airport using drones and explosives. The individual is alleged to have entered the Schengen area using a tourist visa issued by the Italian embassy in Minsk, Belarus, and reportedly never travelled through Italy.
Germany's foreign ministry has expressed concerns about the high number of visas being issued to Russians. Sources close to the German government suggest that the volume of visas issued to Russians contradicts the spirit of Ukraine war-related sanctions and makes it difficult to ascertain who is entering the EU and their purpose.
Figures indicate that Italy issued more Schengen visas than any other EU country in 2025. Italy, France, and Spain collectively received three-quarters of all visa applications from Russians. Italian visas issued to Russian citizens increased from 63,894 in 2021 to over 165,000 in 2025.
Italy's foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, has ordered checks on the visa issued to the Belarusian suspect in the Leipzig case. Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the Czech Republic have already significantly reduced or stopped issuing visas to Russian citizens.