The Polish government will take advantage of the Home Affairs Council meeting on Monday 8 December, to inform its partners of the state of threats linked to hybrid activities carried out by Russia and Belarus, which constitute a threat to the whole of the Union, according to a note intended for an AOB point.
“The number and scope of subversive activities that include attempted and concluded acts of terror facilitated by hostile state actors increased to critical level that demands and justifies a definite and robust response”, Warsaw explained in a note dated 28 November. “We need to step up our efforts to limit the capabilities of these actors to operate within EU territory”, adds Warsaw, which still wants to focus on the visa issue.
In the first eight months of 2025, the Member States issued 459,883 Schengen visas to Russian citizens. 76% of these visas were issued for tourist purposes. 69% were issued by three Member States. And the Commission found that 873,000 Russians held a valid EU residence permit. “The granting of tourist visas for the EU is a privilege that should not be granted to citizens of a hostile state”, Warsaw continues.
“The large number of Russian ex-combatants returning to Russia or settling in third countries close to visa applicants could pose difficulties for Member States and require additional measures.” The risk that the entry of Russian citizens could be exploited for intelligence or espionage purposes remains extremely high, the memo adds. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)