New Delhi, July 10 -- BRUSSELS - A Russian soldier who served in Ukraine could still obtain a European Union short-stay visa - not because Brussels failed to plan a ban, but because France and Italy demanded it be limited. Euronews reported that the European Union narrowed its proposed visa restriction on Russian military personnel Wednesday, agreeing to confine the measure to short-stay visas and only to individuals who directly participated in combat in Ukraine since February 2022, after two of the bloc's largest members raised objections to the original draft.

The concession forms part of the EU's 21st sanctions package against Russia. EU ambassadors discussed the revised measure on Wednesday - the same week that saw NATO pledge 70 bi...