Anyone who has fought on Russia’s side in the war against Ukraine will be barred from entering European Union countries under the organization’s just-announced 21st sanctions package against Moscow, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
The latest round of EU sanctions primarily focuses on Russia’s energy, financial services and crypto markets, but also hits some 1.5 million Russian military veterans.
“We propose to ban from entry into the EU anyone who has served in the Russian armed forces since the beginning of the war,” Ms. von der Leyen said Monday. “So Europe stays off limits for anyone who has participated in the invasion of Ukraine. As simple as that.”
Despite the war that began more than four years ago, Russians are continuing to travel to Europe for business and pleasure. They submitted more than 670,000 Schengen visa applications in 2025, a nearly 8% increase from the previous year. More than 477,000 tourist visas were granted to Russian nationals, according to the news site Ukrainsa Pravda.
France, Italy, and Spain accounted for nearly three-quarters of all visa applications that were submitted by Russian nationals.
Ms. von der Leyen said economic sanctions have effectively cut Russia off from global capital markets. Moscow’s economy is slowing, and growth is sluggish, at best. Inflation is close to 6% and interest rates stand at 14.5%, she said.
“Russia has clearly failed to subjugate Ukraine. The price Russia pays is heavier by the day, and it is paid primarily by the people of Russia,” Ms. von der Leyen said. “They are mourning sons, brothers, and husbands, and at the same time, they face declining living standards at home.”
The EU is implementing import restrictions on items and technologies used by Russia’s military industry. The latest round of sanctions is targeting metals and alloys used in the aerospace and defense sectors, along with ground support equipment and launch systems for drones used by Russia against Ukraine.
The EU will clamp down on Russia’s fisheries industry, Ms. von der Leyen said.
“We propose substantial restrictions on imports of some fish products and a complete ban on others, including cod,” she said. “We will be aligning trade restrictions for Belarus so it cannot serve as a backdoor for Russian trade.”
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