Finland seeks tougher EU visa curbs on Russian travellers
Finland's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen has urged the European Union to tighten visa restrictions on Russian citizens, outlining five proposals in a letter ahead of an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg.
Finland seeks a common EU approach to Russian travel
“The Kremlin must see that continued aggression will deepen its isolation. I ask you to take these proposals forward as an urgent priority,” Valtonen wrote in the letter dated October 12, as EU foreign ministers prepared to meet in Luxembourg.
Her first proposal is to stop issuing Schengen visas to Russian nationals for non-essential travel, including tourism. Finland has imposed national restrictions since 2022, but France, Spain and Italy have opposed efforts to introduce a bloc-wide ban on Russian tourist visas.
Valtonen said she would support a German proposal for visas with limited territorial validity, but only as an interim measure.
Her second demand is a binding visa ban, as a sanctions measure, targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle and individuals or entities sanctioned by the EU.
Athletes and former combatants also targeted
Finland also wants visa applications rejected for Russian athletes and sports team members with close ties to the Russian government. The return of Russian athletes to international competitions has drawn criticism from European political circles.
Glenn Micallef, the European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, attended the October 12 foreign ministers' meeting for the first time to discuss possible measures.
Valtonen also renewed her call for a visa ban on former Russian combatants seeking to enter the EU. The measure was included in an earlier proposal under the bloc's 21st package of sanctions against Russia in July, but was watered down after member states failed to agree on an enforcement mechanism.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has also raised concerns about the potential security risks posed by former combatants entering the EU, saying that “many of them are supported by the Russian secret services.”
Finland calls for tougher EU visa legislation
Finally, Finland has asked the European Commission to propose major amendments to the EU Visa Code, enabling the bloc to impose binding visa restrictions swiftly and consistently when its political or security relations with a third country deteriorate severely.
The European Commission is expected to propose new visa legislation in January, with a tougher approach towards countries that threaten the EU, including Russia.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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