Germany urges EU to cut tourist visas for Russians after Leipzig drone attack
Germany is calling on EU member states to substantially cut the number of tourist visas issued to Russian citizens, linking the push to its sanctions stance and to a series of suspected sabotage cases, including a drone attack on Leipzig airport that Berlin blames on Moscow. One suspect in the Leipzig incident entered the Schengen area using a tourist visa issued by Italy.
Key points
- Germany is urging EU countries to substantially reduce tourist visas issued to Russian citizens.
- Berlin ties the call to sanctions policy and to security threats following suspected sabotage cases, including the Leipzig airport drone incident.
- A German Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the number of visas issued to Russians for leisure travel in the EU is too high.
- Germany accused Russia of a hybrid attack on Leipzig airport and announced diplomatic response measures.
- One suspect in the Leipzig attack entered the Schengen area on a tourist visa issued by Italy.
- Italy, France and Spain together received three quarters of all visa applications from Russians.
Why it matters
Germany is seeking an EU-wide change to how tourist visas are issued to Russian nationals, tying the proposal not only to sanctions but to a string of suspected sabotage operations. The Leipzig airport incident, in which a suspect entered Schengen on an Italian tourist visa, gives the German push a concrete security case and puts pressure on the EU countries that issue the most visas to Russians.
What happened
Germany is calling on EU member states to substantially reduce the number of tourist visas issued to Russian citizens. A German Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the current number of visas issued to Russians for leisure travel in the EU is too high. Berlin links the push to both its sanctions policy and to security threats following suspected sabotage cases. On Tuesday the German government accused Russia of a hybrid attack on Leipzig airport using drones loaded with explosives and announced a series of diplomatic response measures. One suspect in the Leipzig attack, a Belarusian citizen who also holds a Russian passport, entered the Schengen area on a tourist visa issued by Italy and obtained at the Italian embassy in Minsk in late April. Italy issued more Schengen visas than any other EU country in 2025, and Italy, France and Spain together received three quarters of all visa applications from Russians. Italian visas issued to Russian citizens rose from 63,894 in 2021 to more than 165,000 in 2025, and Italian visas to Belarusian citizens rose from 2,968 in 2021 to 50,709 in 2024.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting frames Germany's call as a substantive shift in EU visa policy toward Russian citizens, foregrounding the link to sanctions and to suspected sabotage. Coverage highlights the Leipzig airport incident and the role of an Italian-issued tourist visa in bringing a suspect into the Schengen area, presenting these as the security rationale for Berlin's push.
Background
The Leipzig attack was described as a hybrid operation involving drones loaded with explosives, with Germany accusing Moscow of responsibility. One suspect in the attack entered the Schengen area using a tourist visa issued by Italy. Italy issued more Schengen visas than any other EU country in 2025, and Italy, France and Spain together received three quarters of all visa applications from Russian citizens. Italian visas issued to Russian citizens rose from 63,894 in 2021 to more than 165,000 in 2025.