Germany underwent major intelligence reform and intelligence integration with France

Some days abroad in the press the information that Germany is preparing about the need for major intelligence reform long ago there are rumors. 

And if the idea of ​​this reform is put into practice, then Germany will make a complete transition from the model of “intelligence with limited capabilities” to “a modern foreign intelligence service equipped with tools of active influence”.
Moreover, the main direction of this transformation will be the deepening of intelligence integration between Berlin and Paris.

Note that earlier information France and Germany were rumored to have formed a high-level nuclear coordination group. In other words, France and Germany have decided to strengthen cooperation in the field of deterrence in response to the changing threat landscape.

Let us add that there is also a similar example between the intelligence services of France and Great Britain there is cooperation, in particular, on sharing information about deterring threats from Iran and the potential to develop nuclear weapons.

Naturally, these countries – France, Great Britain, Germany – have both general and their own interests and interests in the South Caucasus, and naturally, in this context, the special services also have their work to do, including the expulsion of Russia from the region.

As an example, consider France, which, although a historically friendly country, is also one of the countries to which the Ministry of Defense warned before the 44-day war about Turkish threats and the possibility of Turkey’s direct participation in the war.

In particular, after the July battles and before the 44-day war, in the Ministry of Defense of the RA, on the French side has been warned about the possible consequences and goals of Turkish-Azerbaijani joint military exercises. We also do not forget that France decided to supply arms to Armenia only after the depopulation of Artsakh.

In May of this year, French President Emmanuel Macron admitted in Yerevan that his country and he are the key players in the 2022 Prague process, which de facto recognized Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan. Of course, the main responsibility for this is the RA authorities.

With the article “What is the price of France’s post-war debt to Armenia?” in the article We have covered all this. However, extensive cooperation between Armenia and France in the field of defense continues: supply of weapons, military advice, etc.

Let’s remind that in parallel with the intention of supplying arms to Armenia, in 2023, France decided, that cooperation with Armenia in the field of security should also be strengthened by establishing a defense mission at the French Embassy in Armenia.

Information about the interaction between the Armenian and French intelligence services was later circulated in the non-local press.

In September 2025, Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of the RA Council of Ministers, in Paris had met With the head of foreign intelligence, Nikola Lerner.

Later Intelligence Online wrote that France will undertake the training of personnel of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Armenia.

At the same time French different in sources there are reports that Florian Escudier, who is specialized strategic issues, security and cyber security fields, and according to various reports, he is well-versed in Armenian “paperwork”. To what extent this information corresponds to reality, let’s wait for the development of events.

Instead, let us remind that the RA Foreign Intelligence Service was established in October 2023. In order to justify its necessity, Nikol Pashinyan said on one occasion that intelligence methods and formulas are developing in the world, which should be in line with them, and that Artsakh 2016. and 2020 during the wars, there were problems in the process of providing information by the intelligence agencies.

We remind you that on August 5, 2019, in Stepanakert square promised էր՝ “We will have one of the 10 most effective intelligence services in the world.”

And about a week before the 2020 war, Nikol Pashinyan, presenting the plans for the transformation of Armenia until 2050, within the framework of the events of the 29th anniversary of Armenia’s Independence. strategy, not only to announce was, whether we will have one of the 10 most efficient intelligence services in the world, but also open brackets about the reasons for this.

“This is an important point in our vision, what does this mean? Means the following: learn more about the necessary information we need to interact with the world. This means getting to know the world better from a practical point of view, and having the opportunity to understand why and where the world misunderstands us, and where we should correct the ideas about ourselves in the world,” Pashinyan explained a few days before the 44th anniversary.

It is difficult to say to what extent we can place the RA Foreign Intelligence Service in the top ten most efficient workers in the world. As for the extent to which the RA Foreign Intelligence Service prevents threats from the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem against the Republic of Armenia, we can make assumptions, perhaps claims, but it is a fact that the service has been given new powers from time to time since its creation.

First about two years ago was suggested To grant the Foreign Intelligence Service the authority to authorize individuals to access information constituting a state secret. And now it has been put into circulation a bill proposing Give it to the APS too authorization authority to install communication equipment.

Let us add that during this period, Pashinyan also decided to separate the foreign intelligence service from the National Security Service, and instead to create a foreign counter-intelligence unit.

In this context, we should mention that in one of our publications we wrote that the foreign intelligence service of Azerbaijan has a unit called “Yarasa” that participates in special forces exercises. Moreover, there are reports in Azerbaijani sources that during the 44-day military operations, the personnel of “Yarasa” acted behind the Armenian army and took part in the capture of settlements, in particular, in the Kubatli (Orotan) sector.

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