Northern European nations push for Schengen Visa ban on Russian soldiers

Ministers from seven northern European countries are calling for a Schengen Zone visa ban on members of the Russian armed forces and affiliated armed groups who have fought in the war against Ukraine, warning that they pose a long-term security threat to Europe.

Ministers from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Poland met in Tallinn on June 19, alongside European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner and a representative from the EU’s border agency Frontex, Caliber.Az reports via ERR.

“There are hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens who have fought against an independent European country, and we should take a very clear stance that these people cannot travel freely in Schengen — we will not grant them residence permits, we will not grant them visas,” Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro told ERR after the meeting.

The ban should stay in place even after the war ends, ministers agreed.

Of the seven countries backing the proposal, all but Sweden share a direct border with Russia.

In a parallel initiative the same day, members of the NB8++ format — Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and the United Kingdom — issued a joint call for stronger, coordinated action against Russia’s so-called "shadow fleet," which is circumventing sanctions through the use of unflagged or falsely flagged vessels.

The countries stated that they are “particularly concerned” about vessels operating without valid flags, which means no state is responsible for them.

“If vessels fail to fly a valid flag in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, we will take appropriate action within international law,” the statement added.

By Sabina Mammadli