A coalition of nine EU member states, plus Iceland and Norway, is stepping up pressure to tighten visa conditions for Russian tourists as the summer holiday season approaches.
The initiative was led by Sweden, with the support of Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Poland.
All 11 countries signed a joint letter earlier this week addressed to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Internal Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner.
"What I want to accomplish is very clear. I want there to be no more shopping weekends. I want no more fancy trips to Europe while Ukrainians are dying on the battlefield," Johan Forssell, Sweden's Minister for Migration and Asylum, told reporters ahead of the Justice and Home Affairs Council on Thursday.
The letter points out that following Russia's aggression against Ukraine in 2022, the European Commission issued guidelines on handling visa applications from Russian nationals.
