Leaders Of Eight EU Countries Urged Not To Let Former Russian Military Personnel Into Schengen
- 13.03.2026, 21:49
They are seen as a real threat to European security.
The leaders of eight European Union states have appealed to the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission to prepare a joint decision on restricting entry to the Schengen zone for people who fought in the Russian army, European Pravda writes.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said the leaders of all three Baltic states, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Germany and Romania had approached European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and explained their concerns about the threat former Russian military personnel could pose if they entered Europe.
"In our view, one of the most serious and persistent risks is the potential entry into the Schengen area of former and current combatant soldiers in the Russian army. The entry of such individuals could have serious security implications for all member states. Therefore, decisive and coordinated action is immediately needed to prevent negative consequences," the Lithuanian President stressed.
In the letter to the EU leadership, the leaders of the eight states argue that former Russian combatants are at high risk of becoming involved in organized crime, extremist movements or hostile activities against EU countries in the context of Russia's hybrid actions.
They also stressed that among the Russian military there are more than 180,000 convicted criminals who have been released on parole. Given the freedom of movement in Schengen, security aspects do not depend on which country issued the visa or residence permit... Our inaction could create long-term 'vulnerabilities' that can still be avoided at this stage," the leaders emphasized.
They noted that the EU's new visa policy strategy already allows for targeted visa restrictions in case of a serious deterioration of relations with a certain third country, and it proposes including a category of "identified former or current combatants of an aggressor country".