Today, 13 October, Estonia joined a initiative launched by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs calling on the European Union and its member states to stop issuing visas for tourism purposes to citizens of the Russian Federation and tighten visa rules for Russian citizens across the EU.
“Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is now in its fifth year. Russia has shown not the slightest willingness to change course. On the contrary, it has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian civilians and critical infrastructure, including the energy sector, in an attempt to leave Ukrainians exposed to cold, hunger and darkness before winter,” Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said. “In the past week alone, Russia attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure nearly 200 times. Nearly 150 people were killed and more than 700 injured.”
“It is unacceptable that, while Russia bombs Ukrainian cities every day and innocent people live under the constant threat of missile attacks, Russian tourists can travel freely in the Schengen area, visit our cafés and restaurants, and enjoy European freedoms. We therefore call on the European Commission and member states to stop issuing visas to Russian citizens for tourism purposes and significantly tighten visa policy across the EU.”
“We must use every means available to increase the cost of aggression until Russia ends its aggression and takes responsibility for the crimes it has committed,” Tsahkna stressed.
In addition to banning visas for tourism purposes, the initiative calls on the European Commission to stop issuing visas to Putin’s inner circle, supporters of individuals sanctioned by the EU, and Russian athletes and sports teams that support the regime’s activities. It also calls on the EU to make swift progress towards imposing an entry ban on individuals who have fought in the Russian armed forces.
“Former Russian combatants pose a serious security threat to Europe as a whole,” Tsahkna said. “These are criminals whom the Kremlin could increasingly deploy to carry out acts of sabotage and foment instability in European countries. Estonia has therefore been at the forefront of efforts to impose a comprehensive entry ban on them. We hope the relevant implementing act will be put forward soon.”
The number of visas issued to Russian citizens by Schengen countries has increased in recent years. In 2025, nearly 500,000 Schengen visas were issued to Russian citizens.
Since April 2022, Estonia has had a government-imposed sanctions measure significantly restricting the issuance of visas to citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.
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