‘Azerbaijan loses levers to dictate terms to Armenia’, Swedish legislator on EUMA

Swedish Member of Parliament Arin Karapet has attached importance to the extension of the EU monitoring mission’s mandate in Armenia.

In an interview with Armenpress, Karapet, representing the Moderate Party in the Swedish Riksdag, said that Azerbaijan’s discontent over EUMA stems from the fact that Baku has lost the lever to dictate its terms to Armenia.

“In my opinion Azerbaijan’s discontent [with EUMA] is due to the fact that in case of the EU observers’ presence Baku is losing the levers for dictating its own terms. The mission’s work is important for Armenia because Yerevan is thereby showing to the world who is actually violating the ceasefire,” Karapet said when asked about the Azeri fake news and discontent targeting EUMA.

The Swedish lawmaker highlighted the significance of the extension of EUMA given the mission’s role in establishing regional peace.

“I believe that the EU monitoring mission in Armenia is an effective mechanism also in terms of building long-term mutual trust in the region,” Karapet stressed. He also highlighted the importance of the extension for Armenia itself, as a free and democratic country.

“Besides, to some extent Armenia can ensure stability on its borders through that mission and its patrols,” the legislator said, reiterating the importance of EUMA for Armenia and the whole South Caucasus region.

Karapet labeled as ‘inappropriate’ the Azeri accusations of espionage targeting EUMA, which has been numerously denied by the mission. The Swedish MP stressed that EUMA is a civilian mission.

“The EU monitoring mission in Armenia is civilian, with a goal to ensure border security, increase trust between the sides and the sense of security among residents of border towns, as well as to achieve the endpoint of the Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization, the peace treaty,” Arin Karapet said.

Asked about the statements made by the Azeri government about Armenia’s arms acquisitions, the Swedish MP said that Baku doesn’t have the right to demand Armenia cease defense procurements. “Acquiring defensive armaments is Armenia’s sovereign right to defend its own territorial integrity. The military transformation and reforms are also Armenia’s sovereign right,” Karapet said.

The Armenian government has numerously said that it is buying weapons exclusively for defensive purposes amid military reforms.

EUMA was launched in 2023 at the request of Armenia. The civilian 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. Azerbaijan has been falsely accusing the mission of conducting espionage. EUMA chief Markus Ritter recently denied the accusations in an interview with Armenpress.