Eastern NATO allies uniting to withdraw from Ottawa Convention, says Polish minister

Poland, the Baltic States and Finland intend to synchronize their steps to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning the use, production and storage of anti-personnel mines, Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

Kosiniak-Kamysz made the remarks responding to reporters after talks with his Lithuanian counterpart Dovilė Šakalienė in Warsaw, Caliber.Az reports, citing Polish media.

“We will unite, we want to unite [our positions]. It is extremely important for us to act together on this issue,” the minister replied to a relevant question from a journalist at a press conference.

For her part, Šakalienė added that the countries are “very close to reaching a common position and preparing a joint statement.”

Vilnius believes that withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel mines could be realized by all countries of NATO's eastern flank or jointly by those members of the alliance that border Russia and Belarus.

Notably, Poland was the last country in the region to express its desire to withdraw from the convention, which was announced by Prime Minister Donald Tusk on March 7.

In January 2024, discussions arose in Latvia regarding a potential withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention. A petition was launched advocating for the reintroduction of landmines along Latvia's borders, aiming to strengthen its deterrence against potential aggression, particularly in light of increasing regional security concerns.

Later in the year, in July 2024, Lithuania's parliament took a significant step by adopting a law to withdraw from the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM). The move was driven by the need to bolster Lithuania's defense capabilities against potential threats from Russia, which remains outside the scope of the CCM. In January 2025, Lithuania's Ministry of Defense proposed initiating withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention as well. The proposal aimed to fortify Lithuania’s defense and deterrence measures, though it was still under review, with careful consideration of international humanitarian law and obligations.

By December 2024, Finland began to reconsider its position on the treaty. Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen announced that Finland was contemplating withdrawal due to heightened security risks from Russia's actions in Ukraine. To assess the situation further, an evaluation was commissioned to determine whether the use of landmines could enhance Finland's defense capabilities.

Finally, in March 2025, Poland joined the ranks of countries reconsidering their stance on arms treaties. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk proposed withdrawal from both the Ottawa and Dublin Conventions, which ban anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions, respectively. This move was framed as a strategic decision to strengthen Poland's defense amid escalating regional tensions.

By Khagan Isayev