Azerbaijan Accuses Armenia of Troop Buildup Amid Rising Military Tensions; Armenia's Defense Ministry and EU Monitors Deny Claims

Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of troop buildup along the border. However, both Armenia and EU monitors dismiss these allegations, affirming the stability of the situation.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry claimed to have observed "intensive movements" of Armenian troops on Sunday, suggesting the possibility of a "military provocation." In response, it issued a warning, stating that any such attempt would be swiftly suppressed by the Azerbaijani army.

Armenia's Defense Ministry swiftly denied these allegations, emphasizing that there has been no need to reinforce the Armenian side of the border due to the recent stability in the region. This sentiment was echoed by the EU monitoring mission deployed in Armenia, which stated that there were no unusual military movements observed along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

Toivo Klaar, the EU's special representative to the South Caucasus, reiterated the mission's findings, emphasizing the importance of transparency and confidence-building in the region. He said the EU's willingness to engage with both Armenia and Azerbaijan to de-escalate tensions.

The timing of Azerbaijan's allegations coincides with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's upcoming trilateral meeting in Brussels with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Azerbaijan has criticized the meeting, portraying it as evidence of Western bias towards Armenia.

Speculation has arisen that Azerbaijan may be seeking to disrupt the Brussels talks by launching offensive military operations along the border. Pashinyan himself has accused Azerbaijan of seeking excuses to initiate a large-scale conflict in the region.

Azerbaijan has also threatened military action unless Armenia withdraws from four Armenian border villages. However, Armenia maintains that its defensive activities, including engineering works, are within its sovereign right and are aimed at safeguarding its territorial integrity.

Despite Azerbaijan's claims, Armenia asserts that the operational situation along the border remains stable, and no additional measures for border protection are deemed necessary at this time. The Armenian Ministry of Defense emphasizes that the information regarding troop concentration is not reflective of the current reality.