Latvia pushes visa curbs for Russians as EU weighs security response

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Latvia pushes EU visa curbs

Highlights

Latvian Prime Minister Kulbergs urges the EU to halt tourist visa issuance to Russians, citing heightened hybrid threats and recent incidents implicating Russian actors.
France, Italy, and Spain accounted for over 70 percent of the 600,000-plus Schengen visas to Russians in 2025, but France plans substantial reductions and tighter access controls.
Latvia seeks 7 billion euros in compensation and warns of a loss of 500 million euros in subsidies under EU budget talks, as Baltic states push for stronger border funding and sanctions.

Visa restrictions move up the EU agenda

As reported by the Financial Times, Kulbergs says EU countries should stop issuing tourist visas to Russians to reduce the risk of future hybrid attacks, arguing that some member states still prioritize tourism revenue over security concerns.

The Latvian prime minister, elected this month after serving as caretaker premier since May, is assembling a coalition after winning 35 per cent of the vote on a pro-European platform. He says Latvia faces hybrid threats daily and links looser visa policies to broader vulnerabilities across the bloc.

The debate has gained momentum after an incident at Leipzig airport in August involving an explosive-laden drone that Germany blames on Moscow. Authorities are investigating a Belarusian citizen holding an Italian-issued tourist visa, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says EU leaders discussed cutting the number of visas granted to Russian citizens at a meeting in Brussels on Friday.

France, Italy and Spain have historically issued most Schengen visas to Russian citizens, accounting for more than 70 per cent of the more than 600,000 visas granted in 2025, according to the European Commission. France says it will restrict access to former Russian soldiers, while diplomats say Paris plans to substantially reduce visa issuance to Russians and Rome remains open to discussions.

Border funding and sanctions pressure for eastern members

Kulbergs is also calling for greater EU resources for countries on the bloc's eastern border as budget negotiations for the period from 2028 continue. He argues that the Baltics, Finland, Poland and Romania need stronger support because they bear the direct cost of heightened security risks tied to Russia and Belarus.

Latvia is seeking 7 billion euros in compensation for what Kulbergs describes as geographical punishment, saying proximity to Russia and Belarus is cutting growth, investment, tourism and business confidence. The country also stands to lose about 500 million euros in agricultural subsidies and regional funding under the EU's proposed budget compared with current levels.

He says Europe needs tighter border controls to prevent more serious security incidents and warns that recent attacks underline the risk. A drone strike on Bulgarian ships last week that left 11 sailors missing, and which Sofia says was probably linked to Russia, is the latest example cited by Latvian officials as evidence of a widening hybrid campaign.

Latvia and other Baltic countries are also pushing the European Commission to block Russian grain exports through their territory, although humanitarian food supply rules may prevent such a step. At the same time, Latvia faces criticism for declaring more than 150 Russian citizens persona non grata, including journalist Leonid Ragozin.

In our earlier article on escalating Black Sea shipping risks near Romania and Bulgaria, we described fires on two chemical tankers close to the Danube approach and the wider pattern of drone-related incidents that left crew members missing. We noted that these attacks are raising concerns over the security of a key grain-export corridor and have fueled EU-level talks about protecting civilian shipping and limiting further escalation.

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