Germany urges EU to cut Russians’ holiday visas after sabotage attacks

• 01German authorities are investigating a Belarusian national who holds a Russian passport for an alleged attempt to attack Leipzig airport using drones and explosives.
• 02The suspect entered the Schengen area using a tourist visa issued by the Italian embassy in Minsk, although he reportedly never traveled through Italy.
• 03Germany’s foreign ministry stated that the number of visas issued for Russian nationals for holidays in the EU is too high and requested tighter limitations from European partners.
• 04European Commission statistics analyzed by Linkiesta show that Italy issued 2,968 visas to Belarusian citizens in 2021, rising to 50,709 in 2025.
• 05Italian visas issued to Russian citizens increased from 63,894 in 2021 to more than 165,000 in 2025.
• 06Italy issued more Schengen visas than any other EU country in 2025, with Italy, France, and Spain receiving three-quarters of all visa applications from Russians.
• 07The German government announced measures including closing the Russian consulate in Bonn, summoning the Russian ambassador, and tightening monitoring of Russia’s oil vessels in the Baltic Sea.
• 08The EU announced its 22nd package of sanctions and is expanding the list of Russians prohibited from entering the EU.
• 09Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani ordered checks on the visa issued to the Belarusian suspect and stated that if requirements were met, authorities will investigate why the visa was granted.
• 10Roderich Kiesewetter, a CDU Bundestag member, called for the immediate suspension of the tourist visa program for Russians, citing security and moral concerns.

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Germany is urging the EU to restrict tourist visas for Russian citizens following the investigation of a dual Russian-Belarusian national for an alleged sabotage plot at Leipzig airport. While several Eastern European nations have halted visas for Russians, Italy significantly increased visa issuances to both Russians and Belarusians between 2021 and 2025, drawing criticism from German officials and political figures who argue the policy undermines sanctions and security. The EU has simultaneously introduced its 22nd sanction package and Germany has imposed diplomatic and economic countermeasures against Moscow.