Armenia Requests EU Anti-Disinformation Team Ahead of Elections, According to RFE/RL

In a significant diplomatic move, Armenia has formally requested assistance from the European Union to combat Russian disinformation ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections scheduled for June 2026. The request, first reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), signals growing concerns about foreign interference in Armenia’s democratic processes.

According to RFE/RL’s EU, NATO, and Eastern Europe newsletter, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan sent a letter to Brussels on February 13 requesting the deployment of a specialized “hybrid rapid response team.” The team would be tasked with identifying and countering Russian disinformation campaigns targeting the electoral process.

The EU is reportedly preparing to honor this request, with potential plans to establish a more permanent civilian mission with the same mandate in the future. This development marks a significant step in Armenia’s increasingly western-oriented foreign policy approach.

This isn’t the first time the EU has deployed such capabilities to assist countries facing similar challenges. Last year, a 20-person team was sent to Moldova during its parliamentary elections, an initiative that both Brussels and Chișinău considered successful. The EU is now looking to replicate this model in Armenia, where Russian influence operations are anticipated.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas confirmed in December 2025 that Armenia had requested “similar help to fight malign influence, like [the EU] granted to Moldova.” During Moldova’s September 2025 elections, the EU provided targeted support to enhance cybersecurity and combat illegal financial flows, as well as foreign information manipulation and interference.

The request comes amid deteriorating relations between Yerevan and Moscow, traditional allies whose partnership has significantly frayed following the 2020 and 2023 conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian officials have repeatedly accused Russia of conducting a hybrid war against their country over the past year—allegations Moscow has firmly denied, describing them as “another round of aggressive language that causes bewilderment.”

In December 2025, Armenia and the EU signed a new strategic agenda that prioritizes combating hybrid threats, further cementing their growing security cooperation. This partnership reflects Armenia’s strategic pivot toward Europe following perceived Russian failure to support Armenia during recent regional conflicts.

The upcoming elections are seen as particularly consequential for Armenia’s geopolitical trajectory. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who came to power following the 2018 Velvet Revolution, has increasingly distanced his government from Russia while pursuing closer ties with Western institutions.

Political analysts suggest that Russian disinformation efforts could aim to undermine public confidence in Armenia’s democratic institutions and promote pro-Russian political forces. Such tactics have been documented in numerous elections across Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus in recent years.

The EU’s willingness to deploy specialized teams to counter such threats represents part of a broader European strategy to promote democratic resilience in its eastern neighborhood. Similar assistance has been provided to Ukraine, Georgia, and the aforementioned Moldova—all countries navigating complex relationships with Russia while pursuing European integration.

As Armenia prepares for this critical electoral test, the requested EU support could prove decisive in safeguarding the integrity of its democratic processes against foreign interference, while potentially accelerating the country’s westward pivot.