Polish FM Sikorski proposed new restrictions on Russians in the EU (Photo: REUTERS/Kuba Stezycki)
Tighter controls on Schengen visas issued to Russian citizens and restrictions on Russian diplomats’ movement within the European Union are needed amid a wave of hybrid attacks across Europe, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said during a joint meeting of the foreign ministers of Poland, Germany, and France in the German city of Weimar on Sept. 3, according to Politico.
“Russia is, after all, trying to destroy the EU from within and should not be allowed to take advantage of the privileges of free movement,” Sikorski said.
He proposed limiting Russian diplomats’ movement to only the countries where they are accredited, introducing biometric passes for Russian citizens, and reducing the number of Russian diplomats stationed in EU countries.
“We still have far too many Russian diplomats throughout the European Union,” the Polish foreign minister said. “We estimate there are over 2,000, and we estimate that at least 40 percent of them are performing tasks that are inconsistent with their diplomatic status. They work for agencies that also carry out terrorist activities in our countries.”
Sikorski said the EU must therefore show solidarity with Germany and take all necessary measures to protect its population.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Paris is prepared to support further restrictions if the situation warrants it. Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul declined to directly answer whether Russia was behind an arson attack at a defense facility in Munich.
“I can’t say much about this publicly. After all, the security of Germany and the security of our allies take priority,” he said. “But we are always in a position to investigate these matters. The incident in Leipzig demonstrated this, and we are also always in a position to provide a response. This will continue to be the case in the future.”
The Aug. 5 drone incident at Leipzig airport
Overnight into Aug. 5, a drone rigged with a detonator and explosive material was discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany, which has served as a base for Ukrainian Antonov aircraft since 2022. The drone was found on the runway near a Ukrainian An-124 Ruslan cargo plane.
On Aug. 6, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the incident did not appear to be the work of amateurs and that a foreign state could be involved. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said no one was injured in the Leipzig airport incident and that aircraft belonging to Ukrainian company Antonov were not damaged.
Media reports had suggested the An-124 was loaded with ammunition, but Germany’s Interior Ministry denied this. U.S. officials familiar with intelligence on the incident told The Wall Street Journal that the explosive-laden drone likely belonged to the Russian government.
On Aug. 25, German outlets NDR, WDR, and Süddeutsche Zeitung reported in a joint investigation that three drones were involved in the attempted attack on the Ukrainian An-124 cargo plane in Leipzig, and that the intended strike was larger in scale than previously reported.
On Sept. 1, Dobrindt said Russia bears responsibility for the Leipzig airport drone incident.
On Sept. 2, Deutsche Welle reported that Germany closed Russia’s general consulate in Bonn following the Leipzig incident. It was the last such Russian diplomatic post in Germany, meaning Russian citizens can now only obtain consular services at Russia’s embassy in Berlin.
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