The European Union is considering a proposal to ban members of the Russian military who fought in Ukraine from entering the bloc, a spokesperson said on Friday, amid concerns that ex-combatants could pose a security risk to European countries once a deal to end the war is reached.
Anitta Hipper, a European Commission spokesperson for foreign affairs, told reporters that the proposal was put forward at a meeting of ministers on Thursday and had the backing of several member states, with the bloc seeking to “ensure that Russia will pay” as Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its fifth year.
Hipper added that Russia was “weaponising the winter” through continued strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in sub-zero temperatures with the aim of forcing Kyiv to surrender, and that the EU was considering “all means necessary” to stop Moscow’s attacks.
POLITICO reported on Thursday that the plan was proposed by Estonia amid fears that “thousands of hardened ex-fighters, many with criminal backgrounds”, could pose a security threat to Europe after a peace deal in Ukraine is reached.
“[After] four years of fighting, we are talking about even a million or so people — certainly hundreds of thousands — who are right now still fighting,” an unnamed Estonian diplomat told POLITICO. “One way to mitigate the risk is to put as many of these individuals that are proven to have been fighting in the war against Ukraine [onto] the Schengen blacklist.”
Ahead of the meeting on Thursday, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna called for a “common policy on a European Union level” towards Russian combatants.
“We need to protect European security. And we need to do it together,” Tsahkna told reporters. “There can be no path from Bucha to Brussels.”
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said after Thursday’s meeting that the proposal had enjoyed support from “many member states” and that EU authorities would explore it further, as the bloc needed to “have answers” to the risks it could face once the war ends.
While Estonia earlier this month banned 261 Russian combatants from entering the country, imposing an EU-wide ban may prove more challenging due to the large numbers involved, POLITICO reported.
In November, the European Commission adopted rules banning the issue of multiple-entry visas to Russian nationals and forcing Russian passport holders to apply for a new visa each time they plan to enter the EU, citing security concerns.
