Estonia wants continued protection for Ukrainians and an entry ban for Russian occupiers
Estonian Minister of the Interior Igor Taro made this statement ahead of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg, according to FREEDOM.
Estonia is in favour of extending temporary protection for Ukrainians in the European Union.
According to Estonian Minister of the Interior Igor Taro, this issue is to be discussed at the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg.
He noted that Russian attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure are continuing, so changes to the application of temporary protection are justified.
“We are awaiting the Commission’s proposals to extend it until March 2028,” Taro said.
Temporary protection for Ukrainians
The minister acknowledged that EU countries hosting large numbers of Ukrainian refugees have their own concerns regarding the extension of protection.
According to him, Estonia is also among the countries with a high number of refugees per capita.
At the same time, Taro stressed that any additional measures must be carefully analysed – both in terms of effectiveness and potential consequences.
A separate issue – Russian combatants
Estonia is also raising the issue of banning Russian combatants from entering the Schengen area.
Taro stated that this is a future problem for Europe, as people who have fought against Ukraine may attempt to enter the EU.
“When these people, who are killing and destroying in Ukraine, arrive, perhaps in Europe, we want to prevent them from entering the Schengen Area. This is no place for them to visit,” said the minister.
According to him, this is precisely why Estonia has launched an initiative to blacklist such individuals.
How many occupiers have already been added to the list
Estonia has already blacklisted over 2,000 Russian occupiers.
Taro noted that many EU countries have supported this initiative and have also begun adding such individuals to their own lists.
The minister emphasised that Estonia is awaiting proposals from the European Commission regarding a pan-European and long-term solution.
According to Taro, this is not just about national bans, but a broader mechanism designed to prevent Russian combatants from entering the Schengen area.
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