Vilnius: Eight European Union leaders have jointly called for a visa ban targeting Russian servicemen who have participated in the Ukraine conflict, as reported by the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT on Friday. The leaders from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Lithuania, and Romania have expressed concerns over the internal security threats posed by these individuals.

According to Anadolu Agency, the leaders addressed a joint letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa. The letter emphasized the need to tackle the security challenges stemming from the war, specifically highlighting the potential risks posed by individuals who have served in the Russian armed forces. These risks include the potential for crime, extremist affiliations, or activities linked to Moscow that could threaten the internal security of EU nations.

The letter stressed the importance of utilizing existing tools to mitigate these security risks, suggesting measures such as refusing visas and residence permits and imposing long-term entry bans across the Schengen area. The eight leaders urged other EU member states to back this initiative, aiming to strengthen the region's security framework against potential threats linked to the conflict in Ukraine.