Article 1, Point (25) · Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/1849

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(25)the following article is inserted:‘Article 5f1.Short-stay visas shall be refused to applicants who are serving, or have served, since 24 February 2022, in active duty in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, or in any paramilitary, military-affiliated or irregular armed group associated with, controlled by or acting at the direction of the Russian government, where those applicants have directly contributed to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine through combat operations. Applications shall be refused on the grounds of a threat to public policy or internal security or a threat to the international relations of any of the Member States.2.Paragraph 1 shall not apply in cases where a Member State considers that entry or transit through its territory is required for humanitarian purposes, for reasons of national interest or because of international obligations, and shall not apply in respect of applicants who present conclusive evidence that they are dissidents of or defectors from the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation or any of the groups referred to in that paragraph. In such cases, a visa with limited territorial validity shall be issued. Such a visa shall be valid for the territory of the issuing Member State. It may exceptionally be valid for the territory of more than one Member State, subject to the consent of each such Member State.3.Paragraph 1 of this Article shall be implemented without prejudice to and in accordance with the rules and procedures laid down in the relevant visa regulatory framework, in particular Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council^note.4.The Council, upon a proposal from the High Representative, shall decide on the entry into force of the measures set out in this Article, provided that the necessary actions allowing for the implementation of those measures have been taken, including, where appropriate, in relation to the relevant visa regulatory framework.