EU moves to ban entry for Russians who fought against Ukraine
Flag of EU (Photo: Getty Images)
Russians who have fought against Ukraine may be banned from entering the EU. The relevant proposal is expected to be presented at the European Council meeting in June, according to a statement by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas on the website of the European External Action Service (EEAS).
"Finally, we will come with proposals to restrict former Russian combatants’ entry to the European Union by the time of June’s European Council," Kallas said in the statement.
Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, reacted to this statement. He supported the EU initiative and called it timely.
He said that this is a timely and long-awaited step that will show every Russian that by signing a contract to take part in a criminal war of aggression against Ukraine, they are at the same time signing their own ban on entering Europe.
According to Sybiha, such a ban is only fair, since people who fight against European states should not be able to travel freely within the EU.
He concluded by calling on all EU member states to support that extremely important measure.
For context: Europe has recorded a decline in migration — in the first quarter of 2026, the number of asylum applications fell by 18%, to just over 173,000. Most applications were filed in France, Spain, Italy, and Germany.
This is mainly attributed to a sharp drop in applications from Syrians and Ukrainians, as well as the EU’s tougher migration policies and shifting migration routes.
