The country’s Foreign Ministry stated that the restriction indicates Brussels favors “Ukrainian draft dodgers” over “solvent tourists.”
Moscow has expressed disapproval of a new EU visa ban targeting Russians, with the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman implying that the move highlights the bloc’s preference for “migrants on benefits” instead of “solvent tourists.”
On Friday, the European Commission announced a complete prohibition on issuing new multiple-entry Schengen visas to most Russian nationals. Only single-entry visas will now be allowed, meaning Russians will be required to apply for a new visa for each planned trip to the EU.
“Apparently, the European Commission reasoned as follows: why would Western Europe need financially stable tourists when it has undocumented migrants and Ukrainian draft dodgers living on benefits?” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told RIA Novosti.
This restriction is part of a broader set of measures designed to reduce Russian arrivals. According to a European Commission statement, its adoption was prompted by what it termed the “weaponization of migration, acts of sabotage and potential misuse of visas.”
Limited exceptions will apply to close family members of EU nationals, including spouses, registered partners, and children under 21. Transport workers, such as seafarers and truck drivers, may also qualify for nine-month visas.
Even before the EU’s formal ban, Russian tourists had largely stopped receiving multiple-entry Schengen visas, according to the Russian Union of the Travel Industry (RСТ).
The RСТ stated that, ”Multiple-entry visas are currently issued to a minimal number of travelers from Russia to Europe, most often to business tourists.”
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, the EU has made it more difficult and expensive for Russians to visit by suspending a visa facilitation agreement and increasing the scrutiny of applications.
As part of its 19th package, adopted last month, Brussels restricted the movement of Moscow’s diplomats across the Schengen Area, requiring them to notify member states in advance of any journeys.
Although the European Commission cannot enforce a total ban on Russian visitors, it has urged member states to stiffen their entry criteria.
Some countries, like the Baltic states and Poland, have implemented outright bans, while others, including Greece, Hungary, France, Spain, and Italy, continue to issue visas and oppose restrictions on ordinary Russian travelers.