Finland has dramatically escalated its campaign to curb Russian mobility inside Europe. In a letter dated 12 October 2026 and circulated to EU foreign-affairs ministers meeting in Luxembourg, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen demanded that the Union “stop issuing Schengen visas to Russian nationals for non-essential travel, including tourism”. Finland already stopped granting tourist visas to Russians in September 2022 and later closed all land border-crossing points with Russia, citing national-security concerns and large-scale irregular migration engineered by Moscow. However, Valtonen argues that unilateral measures are no longer sufficient because Russians can still enter other Schengen countries and move freely across the internal border-free zone. “The Kremlin must see that continued aggression will deepen its isolation,” the minister wrote. She therefore tabled five concrete proposals: a binding EU-wide halt to Russian tourist visas; visa bans for individuals on EU sanctions lists and for athletes linked to the Russian state; an entry ban for former combatants; and a fast-track legal mechanism allowing the EU to impose travel restrictions on hostile third countries. Diplomats said the initiative has reopened a long-running split between Nordic–Baltic countries, which favour maximum travel restrictions, and southern member states such as France, Spain and Italy, which fear reciprocal measures and tourism losses. Germany floated a compromise that would limit visas to specific Schengen territories, but Helsinki insists that only a total tourist-visa embargo will prevent abuse of freedom of movement. Although today’s discussion was only exploratory, the European Commission confirmed it is preparing a new visa code that could accommodate Finland’s request. If adopted, the rules would have major implications for airlines, tour operators and multinational companies that routinely move Russian staff across Europe. Businesses may need to rely on “national-interest” exemptions or relocate assignees via non-Schengen hubs such as Istanbul. Finnish border authorities, meanwhile, continue to divert all asylum-seekers from the Russian frontier to Helsinki-Vantaa airport and two designated seaports. Companies organising staff travel to Finland are advised to monitor Migri and Finnish Border Guard updates, ensure travellers carry proof of essential purpose (work, study or family reunion) and allow extra time for secondary checks at external Schengen borders.
Source: The Kyiv Independent
