July 27, 2026 Unsplash Montenegro will require Russian citizens to obtain visas starting Nov. 1, the small Western Balkan nation’s government announced Monday, as it tightens border rules in line with EU standards to join the bloc by 2028. “Nationals of countries whose visa regimes were previously not aligned with that of the European Union (Belarus, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye) will require a visa to enter Montenegro as of Nov. 1, 2026,” Montenegro’s foreign ministry said in a statement. Montenegro has for years remained one of the few European countries to offer visa-free entry to Russians for up to 30 days. It saw a massive influx of anti-war Russian citizens after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Local media reported this spring that 14,000 out of the 21,000 registered Russians left Montenegro following news of Podgorica’s plans to introduce visas. In Monday’s statement, Montenegro said it was “mitigating any potential adverse effects” by partnering with a third-party visa processing center, and that it planned to introduce an e-visa system in the future. Montenegro adopted the euro in 2002 and applied for EU membership in 2008. It also followed the EU in imposing financial restrictions and travel bans on Russia for its annexation of Crimea in 2014, and then the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. “Montenegro's accession as the 28th member state by 2028 is within reach,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at an EU-Western Balkans summit in June. AFP contributed reporting. Read more about: Balkans , Visas , European Union Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more EU Countries Demand Stricter Visa Rules for Russians “I want there to be no more shopping weekends. I want there to be no more fancy trips to Europe while Ukrainians are dying on the battlefield,” Sweden’s... 2 Min read opinion Jason Corcoran Visa Bans Don't Hurt the Russians With True Power Rich Russians with multiple passports or golden visas can open doors with their money, while ordinary Russians become increasingly alienated. 5 Min read EU Bans Russians from Multi-Entry Schengen Visas The decision was taken to allow the bloc to conduct “close and frequent scrutiny of applicants to mitigate any potential security risk,” it said. 2 Min read Navalnaya Warns EU Against Tourist Visa Ban for Russians Italian media reported this week that EU members were weighing stricter tourist visa rules after a spike in Russian applications over the summer. 2 Min read
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US strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats fail to cut cocaine flow into US — newspaper
• What happened: US strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats fail to cut cocaine flow into US — newspaper US strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats fail to ...