DISINFO: The goal of the EU mission in Armenia is a geopolitical confrontation with Russia
SUMMARY
In relations between Yerevan and Baku, the EU mission is only for show, it did not become any panacea for clashes on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
The EU monitoring mission in Armenia is part of the to the EU goal of geopolitical confrontation with Russia.
RESPONSE
Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russia as the ultimate target of international events, accusing the West of having an anti-Russian agenda in the Caucasus and CIS countries. The article advances the claim that the Caucasus is exclusively within Russia's zone of geopolitical dominance and attempts to discredit the EU mission in Armenia (EUMA).
The claim attempts to pre-empt Russia's weakening position in the region.
The EU has a strong interest in a politically stable and economically prosperous Southern Caucasus, but the regional context is not easy. The EU continues to express its support for efforts towards the promotion of peace in the South Caucasus, including through the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia. To cautiously create a base for confidence-building and dialogue in the fresh post-war environment the EU has come up with a number of programmes (EU4Peace, EU4Dialogue, EU4Culture).
The European Council agreed to establish a civilian European Union Mission in Armenia under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The objective of the mission is to contribute to stability in the border areas of Armenia, building confidence on the ground, and ensure an environment conducive to normalisation efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
In response to Armenia’s request, EUMA will conduct routine patrolling and report on the situation, which will strengthen the EU’s understanding of the situation on the ground. The Mission will also contribute to the mediation efforts in the framework of the process led by President of the European Council Charles Michel.
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.
See similar disinfo cases in our database: Brussels wants to squeeze Russia out of the Caucasus; The EU and the OSCE are in the Caucasus to further drive a wedge in relations between the CSTO members; the West aims to oust Russia of Transcaucasia.