Germany Reduces Number of Visas Issued to Russians

Germany plans to further reduce the number of tourist visas issued to Russian citizens. This was announced by Martin Giesen, a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry, during a press briefing in Berlin.

According to him, tourist trips to Germany by Russian citizens “cannot continue as they did before.” Giesen noted that European countries are approaching the issuance of visas to Russians with varying degrees of stringency, and Berlin intends to discuss this issue with its EU partners.

“We want the number of visas issued to be further reduced,” said the German Foreign Ministry representative. He emphasized that Berlin's goal is to minimize risks and allow entry only to individuals who do not pose a threat.

Giesen highlighted that details of the planned control measures will not be publicly disclosed to prevent circumvention of the rules.

Previously, German Foreign Minister Johan Wadephul stated that following an incident involving drones at Leipzig airport, which Berlin attributes to Russia, Germany would tighten entry controls for Russian citizens. Russia has denied any involvement in the incident.