Eight EU States Call for Schengen Ban on Former Russian Combatants

Eight European Union member states have urged Brussels to block former Russian military personnel from entering the Schengen Area, citing serious security risks.

Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Germany, and Romania jointly addressed European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with the demand.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, who announced the initiative, was unambiguous about the stakes:

“One of the most serious and persistent risks is the potential movement of former and currently active Russian combatants into the Schengen Area. Any entry of such individuals may have serious consequences for the security of all Member States.”

The joint letter argues that ex-combatants pose a significant risk of involvement in organised crime, extremist movements, or hostile activity against EU states as part of Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy. The signatories also pointed to a particularly alarming detail: over 180,000 convicted criminals were released early from Russian prisons in exchange for military service contracts – many of whom could now seek entry into Europe.

The leaders warned that the number of Schengen visas issued to Russian nationals is already growing noticeably. Given freedom of movement within the zone, they stressed that security risks are not limited to whichever country issues the visa or residence permit — making the threat a shared concern for all member states. “Our inaction may create long-term vulnerabilities that can still be avoided at this stage,” the letter states.

The signatories noted that the EU’s new visa policy strategy already provides tools for targeted restrictions and includes a category for “identified former or current combatants of an aggressor state.” They called on the Commission to swiftly propose concrete solutions — including targeted amendments to the Visa Code or other relevant instruments — and asked that the issue be addressed and reflected in the conclusions of the upcoming March EU summit.

The push builds on Estonia’s initiative from January 2026, when Tallinn began advancing a bloc-wide entry ban for all those who participated in combat operations in Ukraine, warning that such ex-combatants risk becoming a “golden asset” for Russian intelligence services and criminal networks.