EU top diplomat vows to help Armenia prevent interference in elections

Foreign ministers of the European Union are set to discuss Armenia at a December 15 meeting, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas, told reporters.

Kallas said the EU will explore ways to assist Armenia ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections, noting that the country has requested support in preventing foreign interference, Armenian media cited by Caliber.Az.

Earlier, Kallas warned that Russia has been intensifying a disinformation campaign targeting Armenia in the lead-up to the 2026 elections.

The discussion comes as EU officials seek to strengthen electoral integrity and democratic processes in the region.

This exchange follows the December 2 EU-Armenia Partnership Council, where a new Strategic Agenda was adopted to deepen ties in governance, security, economy, and visa liberalization. At that meeting, Kallas warned that "Russia and its proxies are already ramping up disinformation campaigns in Armenia ahead of the next year's parliamentary election," drawing parallels to tactics used in Moldova.

The EU pledged €15 million in immediate support for resilience-building, including demining, confidence measures, and countering foreign interference, with an additional €12 million earmarked specifically for election-related activities—such as enhancing institutional capacity against hybrid threats, rapid-response mechanisms for information manipulation, and support for civil society, independent media, and cybersecurity.

The assistance aims to bolster Armenia's defences against external pressures, especially as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government navigates domestic opposition pressures, particularly from church leaders and pursues a Western pivot amid the August 2025 U.S.-brokered peace with Azerbaijan.

By Khagan Isayev