DISINFO: EU mission is a NATO intelligence structure in Armenia
SUMMARY
They are not EU observers at all. Then who are they? Canada is not a member of the European Union, is it? Nevertheless, representatives of Canada somehow appeared as part of the observation mission. Hence, the question. They are observers of the EU or NATO? It is necessary to ascertain. It's not an EU observer mission, but a NATO observer mission. And remove the word "observers", because, in reality, this is the intelligence structure of NATO in the Republic of Armenia, serving the interests of NATO.
RESPONSE
Recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets attempting to discredit the EU mission in Armenia, accusing it of espionage.
The EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA) is a civilian mission that observes and reports on the security situation on the ground, contributes to the security of the people in conflict-affected areas in Armenia, and builds confidence on the ground.
Through its presence, EUMA also contributes to ensuring an environment conducive to the normalisation efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan supported by the EU.
From the very beginning, this exclusively civilian mission has been fully transparent about its plans to operate from six hubs.
The mission was launched in Armenia in response to a request by Armenia. EUMA conducts routine patrolling and reports on the situation, which strengthens the EU’s understanding of the situation on the ground.
The decision to deploy the EU monitors on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan was made after the September 2022 escalation. The EU has called for and helped a normalisation process. The EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA) represents a new phase in the EU’s engagement in the South Caucasus.
See our article examining pro-Kremlin claims during the first year of EUMA.
Canada is one of the EU’s official Strategic Partners. The Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) between Canada and the EU provides for regular bilateral dialogues in areas such as security and defence, development, etc.
Canada is following the situation on the ground in Armenia and is committed to working with allies to help uphold peace and stability in the region. Canada has been accepted by the EU as a third-party contributor to the mission.
Partner countries participation has been a part of EU civilian CSDP for some time already.
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