EU extends spy mission in Armenia for two more years with €44 million budget

The European Union Council has approved the extension of the European Union Mission to Armenia (EUMA) for an additional two years, with a budget allocation of €44 million, 

The statement released by the Council’s press service on January 30 confirmed that the mission would continue until February 19, 2027, Caliber.Az reports.

The budget allocated for this extension will cover the period from February 20, 2025, to February 19, 2027. The mission will consist of more than 200 staff, including both international and local personnel. Observers and civilian experts will represent 25 EU member states, along with Canada, which also participates in the mission.

EUMA was initially launched by the EU Council on February 20, 2023, and began operations in Armenia shortly thereafter. 

Recently, the mission has once again come under scrutiny. A video surfaced, showing mission personnel in two EU-owned Toyota vehicles near the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, reportedly observing Azerbaijani territory in the Gazakh region using binoculars. This activity was noticed by Azerbaijan’s State Border Service, sparking allegations of espionage.

The mission, which began with 100 staff members in 2023, has long been criticized for its intelligence-gathering activities. Previous reports have suggested that the mission targets not only Azerbaijan but also Russia and Iran. While the mission officially focuses on monitoring and border patrols, it is also viewed as serving a symbolic role, with visits from Western politicians signalling support for Armenia.

For example, in July 2024, a US congressional delegation visited the Armenia-Azerbaijan border to observe the situation alongside EUMA representatives. Later in November, Polish President Andrzej Duda also visited the mission’s observation post, where he engaged with personnel while looking toward Azerbaijan. French Ambassador Olivier Decottignies has made several visits as well, sometimes tweeting ambiguous statements about the border situation.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly raised concerns about the mission’s activities. President Ilham Aliyev has pointed out that the extension of the mission was not coordinated with Baku. In December 2024, Aliyev presented conditions for a peace agreement with Armenia, which included the rejection of the deployment of third-party armed forces along the border.

By Tamilla Hasanova