EUObserver has learned of the EU's reluctance to close itself off to Russian tourists.

Russians will be able to continue traveling to the European Union despite planned sanctions against the Russian tourism industry, EUObserver reports, citing diplomats. The EU will also publish a "specific strategy" for Russian travelers by the end of the year.

This document will be "more lenient and non-binding" compared to the EU sanctions. According to the publication, 541,000 Russians visited the EU last year, compared to 517,000 the year before. Before the military operation, over 4 million Russian citizens visited Europe annually. 

It was previously reported that the EU's 19th sanctions package against Russia would, among other things, affect the tourism sector. The EU wants to ban European companies from providing services directly related to tourism in Russia.  

Amid reports of tightened visa restrictions for Russians under EU sanctions, the European Commission emphasized that it cannot completely ban tourist visas. Other initiatives include tightening visa rules and banning Russian diplomats from freely traveling within the Schengen area.

Commenting on possible new EU visa restrictions, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria  Zakharova  noted that if there are threats of "practically blocking Russian diplomats," Moscow will take retaliatory measures. Russia will act based on its national interests, she added.  

Some EU countries previously refused to issue tourist visas to Russians. These include Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway.Finland , Poland , the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and others. The top three countries in terms of the number of visas issued to Russians last year were Italy with 152,000 approved applications, France with 123,000, and Spain with 111,000.

The EU suspended its simplified visa regime with Russia in 2022. This resulted in a higher visa fee (from €35 to €80) and a longer visa application processing time (from ten to 45 days).  

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