The European Union will move forward with new restrictions on tourist visas for Russian citizens, after information indicated that one of the suspects in the failed explosive drone attack at Leipzig airport entered the Schengen area with a visa issued by Italian authorities. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, announced that there was broad support to implement a visa ban for former Russian combatants and stricter restrictions for Russian tourists.
The German government held Russia responsible for the failed attack in Leipzig/Halle, where a drone equipped with explosives was found near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft. Moscow rejected the accusations and classified them as "fabricated." German authorities identified two suspects: a Russian-origin citizen with a Latvian passport and a Belarusian with a Russian passport, who already had criminal records in the Baltic states and reportedly entered the Schengen area with an Italian tourist visa issued in Minsk in late April.
The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, announced that Rome will investigate the issuance of the visa to "verify the facts," warning that there is an attempt by some countries to carry out actions against the EU, using people who may not have criminal records. Kaja Kallas highlighted that many member states had already warned that tourist visas are being used for sabotage acts.
The discussion about Russian visas is not new. In July, France, Italy, and Greece pressured to limit a proposal led by the Baltic states that aimed to prevent former Russian military personnel from entering the EU, with the commitment being limited to citizens with direct combat experience or participation in military operations.
