The European Union officially launched the EU Partnership Mission in Armenia (EUPM Armenia) under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), marking a significant expansion of EU-Armenia security cooperation. The new civilian advisory mission will support Armenian authorities in strengthening resilience against hybrid threats, including cyberattacks, foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), and illicit financial flows.

According to the Council of the European Union, the mission — formally established on April 21, 2026, at the request of the Armenian government — will provide strategic advice, technical expertise, institutional capacity-building, and operational support to Armenian state institutions while promoting a whole-of-government approach to countering emerging security challenges. A dedicated project cell will also implement targeted initiatives in cooperation with international partners. The EU stressed that the mission is strictly non-executive and will not participate in Armenian decision-making processes.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said the mission forms part of the EU's broader effort to help Armenia withstand external coercion. She noted that the deployment follows last week's announcement of a major EU economic assistance package aimed at mitigating Russian pressure, emphasizing that EU experts will support Armenia in combating cyber threats, disinformation, and illicit financial flows. Kallas described the European Union as "the biggest champion of a resilient, independent Armenia and the right of the Armenian people to choose their own destiny."

The mission has an initial two-year mandate and will be led by Romanian diplomat Cosmin George Dinescu, who previously headed the EU Partnership Mission in Moldova. The Council noted that the initiative builds on the EU-Armenia Strategic Partnership Agenda, endorsed in December 2025, which identified cooperation on hybrid threats and information security as a key priority.

The Council also emphasized that EUPM Armenia is separate from the European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA), which has monitored the Armenia-Azerbaijan border since 2023. While EUMA focuses on border stability and confidence-building, the new partnership mission is designed to strengthen Armenia’s internal resilience against nonmilitary security threats, reflecting the EU’s growing role in Armenia’s security architecture.