Against the backdrop of deteriorating relations with Moscow, the team of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on the European Union to sharply limit the number of tourist visas issued to Russian citizens — down to an 'absolute minimum.' According to the publication, the government bloc is currently handling issues related to visa policy toward Russia through the Federal Foreign Office of Germany. The initiative was voiced against a series of events that Berlin links to a security threat on EU territory.
CDU call: visas down to an 'absolute minimum'
One of the first voices to be heard loudly in the debate was Roderich Kiesewetter — a representative of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and one of the party's leading experts on foreign policy and security. He called on the European Union to immediately suspend the issuance of tourist visas to Russians, deeming such practice unjustified both from a security standpoint and a moral one. In his words, the issuance of tourist visas to Russian citizens should be cut 'to an absolute minimum.' 'The excessive issuance of tourist visas to Russians contradicts the European strategy of isolating Russia. It creates a false impression of normalization for affluent Russians — precisely those who benefit from the Kremlin's regime of terror,' Kiesewetter stated.
Context: the Leipzig attack and ongoing investigation
The visa call came against the backdrop of a high-profile incident: on September 1, Germany officially accused Russia of carrying out an attack at Leipzig airport, which damaged a Ukrainian aircraft. In parallel, German law enforcement agencies are investigating the possible involvement of a Belarusian citizen, who also holds Russian citizenship, in the preparation of an attack on a Ukrainian aircraft at the same airport. Berlin, according to available information, is preparing a large-scale response to Russia with the participation of Ukraine.
Arguments: sanctions, control, and isolation
As German authorities note, in light of recent events they have concluded that the scale of visa issuance does not match the spirit of the sanctions imposed because of Russia's war against Ukraine. An additional argument is that, according to Berlin's assessment, a significant flow of Russian tourists complicates control over who exactly is entering EU territory and for what purpose. Thus, the visa restriction is viewed not as an isolated measure but as part of an overall strategy of containment and isolation of Moscow.
Contradictory data
The statements of the parties and the sources contain a number of inconsistencies that are important to take into account. First, the degree of the proposed measure varies: the chancellor's team and a number of politicians speak of limiting visas 'to an absolute minimum,' whereas Kiesewetter calls for an immediate suspension of tourist visa issuance — that is, a more radical step. Second, some public materials on the procedure for Russians obtaining tourist visas in the EU (for example, RFI's analysis of a 'toughened Schengen') reflect a procedure formed earlier and do not record a decision on reduction already adopted in 2026 — they serve only as background context. Third, the accusation of Russia in the Leipzig attack is Germany's official position, whereas the criminal investigation into the Belarusian/Russian citizen is still ongoing; therefore, the direct causal link between the incident and visa policy is confirmed by the authorities but not concluded by the investigation.
What comes next
The decision on the visa issue, as follows from available data, is still in progress: within the government bloc it is handled by the Federal Foreign Office, and the final position will be shaped at the European Union level. For now, Berlin's initiative sets the tone of the discussion on how compatible Russian tourist entry into the Schengen area is with the current sanctions regime and the strategy of isolating Russia.
