Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry strongly protests EU-Armenia Strategic Agenda
Baku, December 9, AZERTAC
“The prioritization of a number of issues in the document titled “Strategic Agenda for EU–Armenia Partnership,” signed following the 6th meeting of the EU–Armenia Partnership Council held on 2 December 2025 in Brussels, is a matter of serious concern, as it distorts the realities of the post-conflict period and runs counter to the overall peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” said Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry as it commented on the Strategic Agenda for the EU-Armenia Partnership signed between the European Union and Armenia.
“The inclusion of issues targeting Azerbaijan in this bilateral document, which sets the strategic priorities between the EU and Armenia for the next seven years, is unacceptable and, among other things, negatively affects the prospects of Azerbaijan–EU relations.
The wording in the introductory part of the document and several other sections, such as “Karabakh Armenians displaced following Azerbaijan’s military operations,” in reference to Armenian residents who voluntarily migrated from Azerbaijan to Armenia after refusing the reintegration plans proposed by Azerbaijan, as a partnership priority between the EU and Armenia, and the classification of those people as “refugees,” is a vivid example of bias against Azerbaijan.
Moreover, the support for full, immediate, and effective implementation of all relevant rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) expressed within the section on possible EU contributions to the regional normalization processes clearly refers to the well-known claims brought by Armenia against Azerbaijan.
While it is entirely irrational to bring an issue of a purely bilateral nature that directly concerns Azerbaijan and Armenia into an agenda with another party, such an approach also disregards the fact that Azerbaijan likewise has its own legitimate court proceedings against Armenia.
This provision in the EU-Armenia document directly contradicts the peace process, considering an article regarding the elimination of these claims in the peace agreement initialed with the participation of the leaders of Azerbaijan, the United States, and Armenia in Washington D.C., and raises serious questions about the proclaimed intentions of the Armenian side.
The identification of Armenians who are accused of, and sentenced for, crimes against humanity and military crimes as “prisoners of war,” and the prioritization of their release, is a serious distortion of realities and is unacceptable.
While the EU-Armenia document enshrines multiple provisions that support Armenia’s lacking regional consensus “Crossroads of Peace” initiative, it is concerning that not a single reference was made to the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project, a crucially important arrangement in the normalization process reached during the 8 August Washington D.C. Summit. This raises questions regarding Armenia’s seriousness in implementing its commitments within the agreement on TRIPP, co-signed by the Prime Minister of Armenia in Washington D.C., and about the proclaimed support of the EU for this project.
Given that Article 7 of the initialed draft agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia obliges both parties not to allow the deployment of any third-party forces along their shared border, another serious concern is the decision to preserve and fully operationalize the EU Monitoring Mission in Armenia (EUMA), which has been used as a propaganda tool against Azerbaijan, instead of bringing its activities to an end.
Among the listed priorities, the emphasis on military and defense issues also serves to promote Armenia’s militarization.
The issues outlined above, which revive elements of the former conflict despite the positive progress achieved in post-conflict normalization since 8 August, cast serious doubt on Armenia’s intentions. Our expectation is that Armenia and the EU will take concrete steps to remove these harmful provisions, which do not reflect current realities. For our part, we will continue to monitor the situation closely and draw the necessary conclusions,” the ministry added.
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