Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan has stated that Russia has a sensitive approach to the issue of deploying a mission of the European Union (EU) in Armenia. He made the comments during a session of the Armenian Parliament, adding that the issue will be discussed between the Russian and Armenian Foreign Ministers during their meeting in Moscow on March 20.

The discussion comes after the Russian Foreign Ministry accused the EU of being disingenuous about the "exclusively civilian nature" of the new mission, stating that it unfolds within the logic of the EU Common Security and Defense Policy, and therefore should be treated accordingly. The Foreign Ministry has claimed that the EU is trying to drive Russia out of the region and weaken its role there.

The EU mission is aimed at supporting the implementation of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, which was signed in 2017. The mission's mandate is set to expire on March 12, but has been extended until September 2023.