EU restricts visas for Russian nationals over Ukraine war

BRUSSELS - The European Union on Friday said it would deny Russians multi-entry visas as security fears rise nearly four years into the war on Ukraine. "Starting a war and expecting to move freely in Europe is hard to justify," EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X. "The EU is tightening visa rules for Russian nationals amid continued drone disruptions and sabotage on European soil." The visa curbs come as fears have risen over the threat of Russian "hybrid warfare" in the EU after air space incursions and unexplained drone sightings in numerous countries. Brussels said that from now on Russian nationals "will have to apply for a new visa each time they plan to travel to the EU, allowing for close and frequent scrutiny of applicants to mitigate any potential security risk." It said there will be "exceptions for justified cases such as independent journalists and human rights defenders" under the new rules. The bloc already tightened controls on travel by Russian diplomats stationed in the 27 EU countries in new sanctions last month. Hawkish EU countries have long pushed for tougheWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times