Moscow on Tuesday accused the European Union mission in Armenia of gathering intelligence against Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told the Tass news agency.
Galuzin blamed Armenia for rejecting proposals by the Collective Security Treaty Organization, instead opting to engage the EU to provide a monitoring mission.
The EU mission, which was expanded this year, began its effort along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border in 2023. Both Moscow and Baku have voiced their opposition to the mission, with Russia accusing Armenia of advancing the West’s — NATO’s — agenda in the region
“Many of the risks Armenia faces today could have been prevented if in 2022 Yerevan agreed to the proposal to implement through the CSTO complex of measures to stabilize the situation on the border with Azerbaijan,” Galuzin added.
“Unfortunately, the Armenian leadership preferred to invite the European Union mission, which does not protect the borders of the state, but collects intelligence against Azerbaijan, Iran, and Russia under the guise of ‘monitoring,’” the Russian official said. Galuzin also emphasized that, in the case of the CSTO, “we were talking about serious initiatives, including military-technical assistance, sending a monitoring mission, assistance in the training of border troops.”
