Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has urged European Union countries to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens, citing escalating hybrid threats allegedly originating from Russia. Kulbergs, who took office this month after his pro-European party secured 35 percent of the vote, argued that allowing Russians to travel freely within Europe undermines security efforts amid ongoing tensions in the region.
He criticized EU nations for continuing to grant visas to Russians, describing Russia as the aggressor orchestrating non-conventional warfare against the bloc. Kulbergs highlighted that visa issuance by countries including France, Italy, and Spain accounted for over 70 percent of the more than 600,000 Schengen visas given to Russian citizens in 2025, according to European Commission data. These countries have been hesitant to impose visa restrictions due to concerns over the potential loss of tourism revenue.
The debate over Russian visas gained renewed momentum following a security incident in August at Leipzig airport, where German authorities investigated an explosive-laden drone linked to Moscow. The drone was reportedly operated by a Belarusian citizen who had entered the EU on a tourist visa issued by Italy. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other officials have subsequently called for a ban on tourist visas for Russians. Merz noted during a recent EU meeting in Brussels that the bloc continues to issue a "very large number" of visas to Russian nationals and that further travel restrictions, covering personal and business visits, remain under consideration.
France has announced plans to substantially restrict visa issuance to former Russian military personnel, while Italy appears open to dialogue on the matter. The discussions come amid a broader pattern of hybrid attacks in Europe, including a recent drone strike on Bulgarian ships that resulted in the disappearance of 11 sailors, with Sofia attributing probable responsibility to Russia.
Kulbergs characterized Latvia as facing daily hybrid threats and said the country expects the highest influx of migrants crossing its borders in five years, which he described as a test of NATO's and Europe’s resilience. He warned that without tighter border controls, Europe risks further attacks similar to past poisonings of Russian dissidents Sergei Skripal and Alexei Navalny.
At a recent EU summit focusing on the bloc’s 2028 budget negotiations, Kulbergs called for increased financial and security support for countries on the EU’s eastern frontier, including the Baltics, Finland, Poland, and Romania. He emphasized that these border states require the strongest defense resources to ensure European safety, suggesting that greater focus should not be placed on smaller, less vulnerable nations.
Kulbergs invoked Latvia’s history of occupation and warned against a perceived European underestimation of Russian intentions. “We’ve seen what the bear eats, thinks and how it lives. It is always lies,” he said, expressing frustration that Baltic concerns have often been overlooked until now. The calls for tighter visa controls and enhanced border security signal ongoing tensions within the EU over how best to manage relations with Russia amid growing security challenges.