EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, proposed extending the EU Monitoring Mission in Armenia (EUMA) by two years, according to RFE/RL’s Armenian service. Kallas’ office stated, “The member states have welcomed the proposal and are now discussing the necessary legal acts with the relevant bodies of the Council of the European Union. The Council’s decision around the extension is expected in the coming days.”

The EUMA, established in 2023, is an unarmed civilian mission that observes and reports on the security situation along the Armenian side of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. It aims to support stability and contribute to normalization efforts between the two countries.

Azerbaijan accused the mission of espionage and causing instability in the region. Responding to these accusations, the EU foreign policy chief’s office emphasized:

“The mandate of the European Union mission in Armenia is very clear: to observe and report on the ground the situation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border from the Armenian side and contribute to normalization efforts. The number of armed incidents in the border areas has dropped significantly since the deployment of the monitoring mission.”