Swedish lawmaker hopes EUMA extension will help prevent possible new Azeri attack

Swedish Member of Parliament Erik Hellsborn has welcomed the extension of the mandate of the EU civilian mission in Armenia (EUMA), expressing hope that it will help prevent a new possible aggression by Azerbaijan.

“I think this is very positive,” Hellsborn told Armenpress when asked about the extension of EUMA.

The Swedish lawmaker expressed regret that Azeri leader Ilham Aliyev has been continuing his belligerent rhetoric against Armenia.

“Regrettably Baku has been using highly aggressive rhetoric against Yerevan again and again. It seems like Aliyev isn’t far from launching a new war. We hope the EU mission can help prevent it,” Hellsborn said.

Speaking about the Azerbaijani government’s complaints about EUMA, the Swedish legislator said that Baku itself refused to deploy EUMA on its territory.

Hellsborn described the Azerbaijani accusations of espionage by EUMA as absurd.

“The EU would have preferred to be able to work on both sides, however Baku rejected this. The claims that there are some spies in the mission are absurd. The mission is very transparent and it even notifies in advance where it will conduct patrols,” Hellsborn said, adding “The question that should be asked here is what is Baku afraid of, it is afraid that the EU will see what?”

Hellsborn cautioned against limiting the mission’s mandate. “Of course, these matters are up to Prime Minister Pashinyan and the Armenian parliament to decide,” he said when asked about Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan’s readiness to withdraw EUMA from parts of the border that have been demarcated in response to Aliyev seeking to end the mission. “But I would advise not to limit the mission’s mandate. The mission’s members know what they are doing and are able to make informed decisions about the best locations for conducting patrols,” the Swedish MP added.

EUMA was launched in 2023 at the request of Armenia. The mission observes and reports on the security situation along the Armenian side of the international border with Azerbaijan. In January 2025 the EU extended the mandate of the EUMA for a further two years. The EU has numerously denied Azeri accusations of espionage. EUMA chief Markus Ritter recently denied the accusations in an interview with Armenpress.