EU extends monitoring mission in Armenia until 2027

PanARMENIAN.Net - The ambassadors of EU member states in Brussels have approved the extension of the EU civilian mission in Armenia, allowing European observers to remain in Armenia’s border regions for another two years, until February 19, 2027.

The European Union has not altered the mandate granted two years ago, which aims to reduce incidents in border and conflict-affected areas, lower security risks for the population, and support the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. This was reported by RFE/RL’s Europe editor, Rikard Jozwiak.

According to the draft decision, the composition and number of observers will remain unchanged, with 165 international and 44 Armenian staff members.

The EU mission in Armenia stated that the decision must still be formally approved by the EU foreign ministers, but this is considered a procedural step since the ambassadors have already expressed their governments’ support for the initiative.

According to the official statement, the monitoring mission’s operations cover the entire Armenian-Azerbaijani border, including the Nakhijevan section.

Earlier, in response to Baku’s criticism, the EU’s foreign policy office emphasized that since the deployment of the monitoring mission, the number of armed incidents in the border area has significantly decreased.

"The mandate of the EU mission in Armenia is very clear—to observe and report on the situation along the Armenian side of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and contribute to the EU’s efforts in the normalization process," the EU’s foreign affairs office stated in a written comment to RFE/RL.

The mission’s official website notes that its mandate applies exclusively to Armenian territory, covering "the entire length of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border, including the northern section where several Azerbaijani enclaves are located." For security reasons and to ensure effective monitoring, the mission coordinates all its actions with Armenian authorities and informs the Azerbaijani side before dispatching patrol groups.