Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov expressed concerns about the European Union's mission in Armenia, warning that its presence along the Azerbaijan-Armenia border could jeopardize stability in the South Caucasus region.

Recent developments in Armenia have reignited debates over geopolitical realignments in the South Caucasus. Footage has surfaced of European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) observers conducting surveillance along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. The mission, originally deployed in February 2023 with a mandate expiring in 2025, has now been extended for an additional two years—prompting speculation about its evolving role.

This decision raises critical questions: Is the EU mission transitioning from a monitoring role to a more active Western military presence? How will Russia react, particularly in light of Armenia’s recent decision to withdraw Russian border troops from the Armenia-Iran frontier? If Yerevan insists on defending its borders independently, why does it continue to rely on a Western mission to oversee the region? Could the extension of EUMA’s mandate signal a gradual substitution of Russian forces with Western security structures?