EU ban on Russian combatants faces resistance from France and Italy

Rome and Paris have cited legal and technical concerns over how the ban should be applied in practice. France and Italy have expressed scepticism about a plan to ban current and former Russian combatants from entering the bloc, citing legal and technical concerns. The two countries currently receive the highest number of visa applications from Russia of any EU member states, and according to three diplomatic sources, they are wary of the proposal to bar Russians who served in the military from entering the EU. The ban was introduced as part of the 21st sanctions package targeting Russia over its war of aggression against Ukraine. Officials cited security as the main rationale, drawing a comparison with the EU's earlier ban on former Islamic State fighters. Earlier this month, a coalition of 11 European countries from northern and eastern Europe called for tougher visa rules for Russian tourists, as arrivals from Russia have risen steadily since the war began in 2022. In 2025, France topped the ranking with just under 180,000 arrivals, followed by Italy with around 160,000 and Spain 100,000. These countries argue that Russians travelling to Europe are exposed to the European way of life and the freedoms that come with it. In practice, the share of tourist arrivals affected by sanctions on former combatants is likely to be negligible, given the high casualty rate on the frontline and the fact that foot soldiers rarely come from a social class that can afford a trip to Europe. Still, the practical implications could be significant for countries that process hundreds of thousands of applications a year, prompting Paris and Rome to question how the measure would actually be implemented. The two governments have also argued that the legal basis for the issue lies in visa policy – a competence shared between the EU and member states – rather than in a sanctions package. The European Commission is working on technical solutions to implement the ban, which is still under discussion alongside the rest of the sanctions package, with member states aiming for adoption before mid-July to avoid the sanctions' automatic revision. Several options are on the table. One would revise the Schengen Information System, the EU's border management database, which national authorities consult for real-time alerts. The system could be populated with intelligence shared by the 30 participating countries, potentially including records of human rights abuses and war crimes – similar to the approach applied to former combatants in the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. Another option would require Russian applicants to submit proof of military service when applying for an EU visa, triggering individual assessments on a case-by-case basis. "They're not nice tourists; they don't come here to relax on the beach. It's a security issue," an EU diplomat told Euronews, speaking on condition of anonymity.