Ministers of Internal Affairs of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Norway, Sweden and Finland have made a joint decision to prohibit entry into the Schengen zone to citizens of Russia and other countries who participated in Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The meeting was held on June 19 in Tallinn, which also attended the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner and a representative of the Frontex Border Guard Security Service.
The joint statement of ministers emphasizes that EU countries should take all necessary measures for persons who serve or serve in the Russian Armed Forces or other formations acting on behalf of the regime, could not undermine Europe's security or move freely within the Schengen area. The ministers called for both the issuance of residence permits and the citizens involved in the aggressive war against Ukraine. The prohibition of entry for this category of persons will remain valid even after the active fighting is completed.
In addition, the ministers emphasized the vulnerability of the EU land borders, especially the eastern direction, through the activation of migration organized by the state. In particular, from the summer of 2021, mass attempts of illegal crossing of the border from the territory of Belarus are recorded. European countries consider this crisis to be artificially created by Moscow and Minsk. In the first quarter of 2025, the number of illegal migrants who tried to cross the EU border decreased by almost a third compared to last year. However, on the eastern border, the situation remains tense: only in the first half of June Lithuania, Latvia and Poland recorded more attempts by illegal intersection than for the entire first quarter.
The statement also emphasized that organized criminal networks and hostile states are increasingly using the latest technologies to achieve their goals, so the joint responsibility of EU countries is to be ahead of these threats.
