During meetings held in Canberra on 11 March, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna discussed the threat posed by Russian fighters, the need to establish a special tribunal to hold Russia accountable, and cooperation in continuing support for Ukraine. The Estonian diplomat arrived with a specific proposal for Australia: join a growing coalition of nations barring former Russian combatants from entry.
At a meeting with Australia's Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke, Tsahkna presented Estonia's initiative under which more than a thousand Russian combatants have been banned from entering the Schengen area in order to protect Estonia and other European countries from the threats posed by such fighters. Earlier this month, Estonia imposed a permanent entry ban on 261 Russian soldiers who had taken part in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The rationale, according to Tsahkna, cuts to Australia's strategic interests. Russian fighters have no future prospects in Russia and, after the war, many of them are likely to seek opportunities to leave the country, with combat experience and anti-Western attitudes that could become a convenient recruitment pool for Russian intelligence services, who may hire them to carry out acts of sabotage.
The proposal reflects concerns rippling through European security establishments. A coalition of European Union countries is pushing to bar Russian citizens who participated in the war against Ukraine from entering the Schengen Area, citing serious security concerns. Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro said there are hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens who have fought against Ukraine, and that these individuals cannot freely travel across Schengen.
Australia has moved cautiously on such measures. Australia imposed sanctions on Russia, targeting members of Russia's national security council with travel bans and financial sanctions. The government currently applies travel bans case by case through its Russia sanctions framework, targeting specific government officials and military officers. What Tsahkna is proposing goes further: a blanket prohibition on anyone who participated in Russia's aggression.
Australia's engagement reflects its deep commitment to Ukrainian security. Australia's support for Ukraine has remained steadfast, providing almost a billion dollars in aid since Russia's full-scale invasion in late February 2022. The question now is whether the government accepts that security risks extend beyond government elites to the broader pool of returning combatants.
The practical challenge is significant. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in December that about 700,000 Russian soldiers were fighting in Ukraine, and blacklisting such a large number of individuals could confront European authorities with serious logistical complications. Australia would face similar implementation hurdles. Yet the Estonians have already demonstrated their seriousness, having banned over 1,000 fighters already. The threshold question for Canberra is whether the security logic Tsahkna presents is compelling enough to warrant that administrative burden.