We Want the EU Mission to Continue in Armenia, Security Council Secretary Says

YEREVAN — The European Union Monitoring Mission has had a positive impact on efforts to establish peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Yerevan wants the EU civilian mission to continue operating in Armenia.

Armenia’s Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan said this in a conversation with journalists.

According to Grigoryan, Armenia consistently emphasizes—both publicly and in private discussions with EU partners—that it highly values cooperation with Brussels and positively assesses the activities of the EU Monitoring Mission in Armenia.

“We are convinced that the mission has had a positive impact from the standpoint of stability and has contributed to strengthening stability in the region, as well as building confidence among residents of border communities in terms of security,” the Security Council Secretary stressed.

Grigoryan noted that the EU Monitoring Mission has played a constructive and important role in advancing Armenia-Azerbaijan peace efforts.

He also emphasized that U.S. President Donald Trump’s role has been an important factor in the Armenia-Azerbaijan settlement process.

Responding to a question about whether there is a clear understanding of the mission’s future work, Grigoryan said that Armenia nevertheless wants the EU Monitoring Mission to continue its activities in the country.

“One thing is clear: we want the EU civilian mission to remain in Armenia. As you know, within the framework of the peace agreement we have reached certain understandings, but the agreement still needs to be signed and ratified in order to enter into force. After that, we will better understand how to proceed in this regard. But it is unequivocal that we want the mission to continue its presence in Armenia, and we will continue working in that direction,” he emphasized.

Grigoryan added that the format of future cooperation with the EU is currently under discussion.

“We are discussing and assessing what framework of activity we can pursue together. We will determine how we can proceed, but this also depends on the ratification of the peace agreement,” he said.

The EU Monitoring Mission in Armenia was deployed in 2023 for a two-year term. In January 2025, the Council of the European Union decided to extend the mission’s mandate for another two years. The mission conducts patrols along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, monitors, and reports on the security situation.

The mission’s objective is to contribute to the safety of people in conflict-affected areas of Armenia and to help build confidence in those regions.

The peace agreement initialed in Washington between Armenia and Azerbaijan includes a provision stating that upon signing and entry into force, the parties commit not to deploy third-country forces along their interstate border.