Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia want to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines.
This was reported by the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense.
In a joint statement, the countries noted that after the ratification of the Convention, the security situation in the region has deteriorated dramatically. Military threats to countries bordering Russia and Belarus have increased significantly. Therefore, the states will review all security measures to deter possible aggression.
"We believe that in the current security environment, it is crucial that our defense forces have the flexibility and freedom to potentially employ new weapons systems and to strengthen defense capabilities," the statement said.
So the defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland unanimously recommended withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention. They say the decision shows that the countries are ready to take all necessary measures to protect their territory and freedom.
The defense ministers of the countries emphasize that despite the withdrawal from the Convention, the countries will remain committed to international humanitarian law. Withdrawal from the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines has yet to be considered in the countriesʼ parliaments.
- The Ottawa Convention was adopted on December 3, 1997, and entered into force on March 1, 1999. Ukraine ratified it on December 27, 2005, becoming a party on June 1, 2006. At the time of signing, Ukraine had the fifth largest arsenal of anti-personnel mines in the world, behind only China, Russia, the United States, and Pakistan.
- In early March, Lithuania withdrew from the Convention on the Prohibition of Cluster Munitions due to the threat from Russia. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also spoke about his intention to withdraw from the conventions on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions.
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