14:44, 1 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. The issue of expanding the European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) will be discussed in Brussels by year-end, EUMA Head of Mission Markus Ritter has said.

EUMA now includes representatives of 23 countries of the EU.

Ritter told reporters on November 1 that there is a possibility that representatives of all 27 countries will be included in EUMA. He said that there is “a lot of political attention” towards EUMA because of the developments taking place.

"The enlargement is something that also will be discussed in Brussels by the end of the year. We have to wait for the results. But, as it has been said before, at the moment because of the events here in autumn this mission has a lot of political attention," he said.

Last week, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly visited Armenia and announced that Canada will join EUMA, becoming the first country outside the EU to do so.

Ritter said that if other non-EU countries also express desire to join EUMA, then the issue will be discussed in Brussels.