As the European Union (EU) continues to impose high-intensity sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the temperature differences among member countries regarding tourism revenue during the summer vacation season are becoming more pronounced.
Countries with borders with Russia, such as Finland, Poland, and the Baltic states, have tightened the issuing of tourist visas for Russians citing security concerns.
In contrast, western and southern European tourist powerhouses like France, Italy, and Spain, which are relatively distant from Russia, have issued more tourist visas to Russian tourists than before and have openly sought to attract vacationers.
As a result, criticism has emerged that the EU's unified front against Russia is cracking.
On the 17th (local time), the EU-specialized media EU Observer reported that the number of new Schengen visas issued to Russians last year reached a total of 552,630, a rise of about 9% compared to 2023.
A Schengen visa is a short-term stay visa used in 29 European countries that are part of the Schengen system, established under the Schengen Agreement.
With this visa, travelers can freely visit all European countries except for a few that have established border checkpoints. According to the 2025 Schengen annual report published by the European Commission this year, over 1.3 billion trips were made within the Schengen system last year.
Among the countries with a high share of tourism, Italy issued 152,254 visas exclusively to Russians last year, an increase of more than 20,000 compared to the transfer.
France and Spain also significantly increased the number of visas issued. Greece, too, welcomed Russian tourists by issuing 59,703 visas.
At this point, Russian tourists obtaining Schengen visas often have substantial economic means to bear the existing economic sanctions. This is because the value of the Russian ruble has increasingly fallen under strict economic sanctions since the invasion of Ukraine. Over the past three years, the ruble's exchange rate against the U.S. dollar has risen by 44% (indicating a decline in ruble value). Additionally, the fact that traveling is possible even under a wartime situation, with restrictions based on age or profession, suggests that those traveling are usually affluent.
According to local media, they bypass EU flight restrictions and return to Europe by transiting through Istanbul, Turkey, or Dubai, UAE.
EU Observer quoted a NATO official as saying, "Russian tourists entering the EU are much wealthier than regular European tourists," and added, "They typically stay in expensive hotels instead of Airbnb and sometimes purchase resort properties at outrageously high prices as a form of asset diversification."
Countries that have issued more visas to Russian tourists put forward their respective justifications.
The French Foreign Ministry stated that, "Interactions between people and cultural exchanges enhance understanding among nations and promote dialogue," and it emphasized its effort to distinguish between the Russian regime responsible for the war in Ukraine and the Russian people and civil society.
However, frontline EU countries that face real military threats from Russia dismissed this as fallacy.
Countries such as Poland, Estonia, and the Czech Republic, which are ramping up their military capabilities against potential Russian threats, can hardly avoid feeling relatively deprived.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said, "Russian intelligence agencies are using uncontrolled human flows, like tourism, as part of their military strategy," adding, "The fact that Russians are spending their holidays on Mediterranean beaches does not change the Russian government's position."
Earlier, the EU announced guidelines regarding restrictions on tourist visas for Russians immediately after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The problem is that these measures lack legal binding force, which renders them ineffective.
As a result, there are growing calls within the EU to amend these guidelines to provide legal binding force.
However, it is likely that key countries such as France, Italy, and Spain, where the share of tourism revenue is particularly high, will oppose any actual amendments, leading to difficulties.
Within the EU, blatant dissatisfaction has emerged regarding the behaviors of countries seeking to attract wealthy Russian tourists.
Experts analyzed that this situation starkly illustrates the dilemma the EU faces between economic interests and political and moral solidarity.
EU Observer, quoting an anonymous EU official, stated, "Some countries that are greedy for tourist money are revealing a lack of solidarity with frontline allies," and added, "As fatigue grows regarding sanctions against Russia, the frequency of conflicts among member states over their interests is increasing."