MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. A complete ban on issuing Schengen visas to Russian tourists in the near future is unlikely, as a number of European Union countries oppose such a measure, CEO of VCP Travel and an expert with the Russian Union of Travel Industry Mikhail Abasov told TASS.

"Despite the high-profile statements made by certain European politicians, a complete ban on issuing tourist visas to Russians in the near term appears unlikely. Such a measure is opposed by the countries that traditionally issue the largest number of visas to Russian citizens - France, Italy, Spain, and Greece. For these countries, tourist flows from Russia, although reduced, remain significant, and a complete ban would mean a sharp deterioration in relations as well as additional economic losses for their own tourism sectors," he said.

This is why EU countries are not imposing a direct ban on visa issuance but are instead gradually tightening administrative procedures by extending processing times, conducting more thorough document checks and, in some cases, closing or reducing the operations of visa centers. These measures make it possible to reduce the number of visas issued without adopting politically sensitive decisions at the level of the entire European Union, the expert explained.

Abasov suggested that, at present, the European Union is using the visa issue as an element of informational and political pressure. Public statements help maintain a certain level of tension while simultaneously testing the reaction of Russian society and elites. At the same time, actual decisions are most likely to be made in the fall of 2026, when the political and economic situation becomes clearer.

"A complete ban on tourist visas for all Russian citizens would require consensus among all Schengen Area countries and would lead to serious political consequences. At present, such a consensus does not exist. The more likely scenario is a further tightening of administrative procedures with respect to certain categories of applicants while preserving the possibility of obtaining visas for the majority of tourists," he noted.

Earlier, Izvestia reported citing a source that the European Commission is discussing the possibility of a complete ban on issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens.