The Armenian Cabinet has approved the creation of defense attaché positions for the European Union and Belgium.
The current defense attaché to NATO, based in Brussels, will simultaneously assume these roles.
According to the Defence Ministry, the appointment is necessary due to recent significant developments in defence, security, and military cooperation between Armenia and the EU.
The decision was initiated following to EU announcement that an additional 10 million euros ($10.5 million) will be allocated in “non-lethal” military aid to Armenia through its European Peace Facility (EPF), a special fund aimed at strengthening the defence capacities of EU partners.
According to RFE/RL sources in Brussels, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas has submitted this proposal to the bloc’s decision-making Council. The proposal is expected to be discussed in the coming weeks, though no specific date has been set. Approval requires unanimous support from all 27 EU member states.
Armenia received its first-ever EU military aid, also worth €10 million, last July. The funds were designated for a two-and-a-half-year project to establish a field hospital and auxiliary facilities for a battalion-sized Armenian army unit.
Hungary initially blocked the allocation for months, insisting on similar aid for Azerbaijan, with which it maintains close ties. Budapest reportedly lifted its veto in exchange for an EU pledge to finance demining efforts in Azerbaijan from another source.
It remains uncertain whether Hungary or any other member state will raise objections this time.
Read next
13:30
Regional Voices
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
15:44
Federal authorities have arrested 14 suspects in Los Angeles linked to an Armenian organized crime ring accused of stealing $30 million in COVID relief and Small Business loans intended to support American taxpayers.
20:29
Moscow once counted on Armenia as a loyal regional partner. Now, as relations sour, Russia appears willing to rewrite its own role in the Karabakh conflict.
09:18
Armenia announced its readiness to host the next ministerial meeting during the third “3+3” consultation platform held in Istanbul in 2024.
20:08
The speakers of Kyrgyzstan and Armenia signed a memorandum of parliamentary cooperation on May 26, strengthening ties between the two countries amid regional peace efforts.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment