About EU Partnership Mission in Armenia

The European Union Partnership Mission in Armenia (EUPM Armenia) is a civilian advisory mission, under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The Mission was established on 21 April 2026.

EUPM Armenia has been established at the request of the Armenian government. The mission is part of a broader and coherent EU approach, combining short and longer-term support to help strengthen Armenian national security and resilience. 

The Mission supports Armenia’s resilience and its capacity to address foreign information manipulation and interference, cyber-threats, as well as illicit financial flows. Specifically, the mission will provide strategic advice, technical expertise and institutional capacity-building. It works in close partnership with Armenian authorities. The objective is to strengthen policies, capabilities and coordination across government. The Mission will also support projects that implement actions aligned with the Mission objectives. EUPM Armenia is part of the European Union's wider support for Armenia's security, resilience and democratic development.

The Mission is staffed primarily by experts seconded by EU Member States. They bring practical experience and specialised expertise from across Europe.

EUPM Armenia is a civilian advisory mission with no executive mandate. It has no role in the decision-making processes of the Armenian authorities.

Why has the EU deployed the mission? What does the EU intend to achieve? 

The EU deployed the mission at the request of the Armenian government. The mission is part of a broader and coherent EU approach, combining short and longer-term support to help strengthening Armenian national security. The main objective is to enhance Armenia’s resilience against notably foreign information manipulation and interference, cyber threats as well as illicit financial flows.  The mission will provide strategic and operational-level advice and capacity-building, with clear safeguards and transparency.

What are these “safeguards”? 

The Mission mainstreams European Union democratic values in all aspects of its work. 

The Mission will fully respect Armenian national legislation and sovereignty, and will operate exclusively on the basis of a mandate that has been agreed with Armenia.

Who took the decision to deploy the mission? Why now? 

At the request of the Armenian government, the Council of the European Union adopted the decision to establish the Mission with the unanimous support of all 27 EU Member States.

How does it serve the EU-Armenia partnership? 

One of the priorities of the Strategic Agenda for the EU-Armenia Partnership, which was announced in December 2025, is to enhance cooperation in the area of security and defence. This includes support for reform of the Armenian security sector and deepened cooperation on countering hybrid threats and FIMI. EUPM Armenia will support these priorities by delivering strategic and operational advice as well as capacity-building assistance for Armenian institutions.

What is the duration of the mandate? 

EUPM Armenia has been established for an initial period of two years. Towards the end of the mandate, the EU will review the progress and reach out to the Armenian authorities to assess the next steps.

Who are the Mission’s main interlocutors in Armenia?

EUPM Armenia will support the Armenian institutions that work directly on cybersecurity, FIMI and illicit financial flows . Moreover, EUPM Armenia will help enhance inter-institutional coordination. EUPM Armenia is a civilian Mission, so it does not provide support to the armed forces.

What is the chain of command? Who is the Head of Mission? 

The Head of Mission is Mr. Cosmin Dinescu, a senior Romanian diplomat. Previously he was the Head of Mission of EUPM Moldova. He has valuable experience strengthening resilience in the security sector. The Head of Mission will report to the EU’s Civilian Operations Commander Stefano Tomat .

Who does it report to? 

All civilian CSDP Missions report to the EU Member States through the Council of the European Union.

How will the Mission be staffed? 

All EU civilian CSDP Missions are staffed by civilian experts seconded by EU Member States. The Mission can also hire contracted and local staff. It will deploy around 30 staff members in different functions. 

Where will the Mission be based? 

The Mission headquarters are in Yerevan. It does not have any regional offices.

How is the mission connected to the EU Mission in Armenia ‘EUMA’? Do they share personnel or infrastructure? 

EUPM Armenia is one of two distinct civilian CSDP mission in Armenia. It is separate from the EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA) established in 2023. EUMA is tasked with observing and reporting on the situation on the ground, contributing to confidence-building and human security in conflict-affected areas and supporting the confidence-building between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where possible. The two missions have different mandates and separate structures.