EU to require 24‑hour travel notice for Russian diplomats, cites Leipzig airport drone

From January 2026, Russian diplomats and consular staff of all ranks must notify EU member states of any travel to another member state or transit at least 24 hours before entry, according to EU discussions on tighter restrictions.

The notice rule does not ban movement within the EU, but allows states to demand transit permission, a measure already used by two member states, and follows recent hybrid attacks including a suspected arson in Estonia and an unexploded drone discovered at Leipzig airport in Germany.

EU officials indicated further possible limits in the Schengen area, such as visa bans for former Russian military personnel.