DISINFO: Launch of the EU mission in Armenia is an anti-Russian move
SUMMARY
The launch of the EU mission in Armenia is an attempt by Brussels to gain a foothold in the post-Soviet space, playing the role of an "intermediary", taking advantage of the results achieved with the mediation of Russia in the Armenian-Azerbaijani normalisation․
There is also a significant anti-Russian component here – the desire to neutralise its historical role as a guarantor of security.
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 recently announced EU mission in Armenia (EUMA).
The claim attempts to pre-empt Russia's weakening position in the region.
Contrary to the claim, 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 to efforts towards the promotion of peace in 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.