The Prime Minister of Estonia, Kristen Michal, has called for a permanent ban on Russian soldiers in the Schengen area, highlighting the risks they pose to the EU.

The Prime Minister of Estonia, Kristen Michal, stated that Russian soldiers involved in the invasion of Ukraine should be permanently excluded from the Schengen area without border controls. Michal emphasized that the Kremlin's extensive mobilization increases the risks that former combatants could become a threat to the European Union, even after the conflict ends.

He claimed that most of these soldiers are considered "criminals" in Russia, but treated as heroes, which could lead to the formation of paramilitary groups operating in Europe and other regions. Estonia began promoting this ban at the beginning of the year and has gained support from other member states, and the proposal has been included in the official conclusions of the European Council.

Michal mentioned that Estonia has already banned access for approximately 1,300 Russian combatants, but stressed the need for a common EU approach to manage the large number of soldiers. The head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, confirmed that the proposal will be prepared by the June summit.