The Netherlands, along with eight other EU countries, are actively lobbying to restrict free movement of Russian diplomats within the European Union. They propose that diplomats should only be allowed to travel within the country of their accreditation rather than having access to the entire Schengen zone.
This initiative, proposed by the Czech Republic last year, has gained support from the Netherlands, Denmark, Eastern European countries, and the Baltic states.
Moscow has been using its intelligence officers under diplomatic cover to carry out sabotage operations, including attacks on aid warehouses for Ukraine, arms factories, and railway infrastructure. The EU’s free-travel area facilitates such “malign activities,” calling for urgent intervention.
Limiting movement for Kremlin diplomats-spies would significantly reduce their operational space. There is specific evidence of numerous Russian sabotage cases, and Russian diplomatic missions are actively used for hybrid warfare against Europe.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, European countries have expelled around 600 Russian diplomats, with approximately 400 suspected of being spies. According to Trouw, using diplomats as spies is a common practice due to their freedom of movement and diplomatic immunity.
Currently, over 2,000 Russians travel on diplomatic passports, allowing them unrestricted movement. It is no secret that many agents hide under diplomatic cover, and there’s no reason to make their job easier.
However, within the EU, there is division on this issue: Germany, Austria, and Italy oppose the restrictions, fearing retaliatory measures from Russia against their diplomats and citizens in Russia. These countries also stress the importance of keeping diplomatic channels with Moscow open.
