Finland plans withdrawal from Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel mines

The Finnish government has announced plans to begin preparations for withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, an international treaty banning the use, production, and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo made the announcement during a press conference, emphasizing that the decision aligns with Finland’s evolving security needs, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

“Finland is starting preparations to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention on banning anti-personnel mines,” Orpo stated.

According to the prime minister, Finland’s withdrawal would allow the country to “prepare for changes in the security sphere in a more versatile way.”

Finland’s move comes amid growing security concerns in Eastern Europe, with NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus reassessing their military defense strategies.

On March 18, defense ministers from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania issued a joint statement recommending that their countries withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa Treaty. The statement emphasized that military threats to NATO’s eastern flank have increased significantly, necessitating stronger defensive measures.

Poland has already signaled its intent to leave the treaty. Earlier in March, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that Poland would begin the formal process of withdrawal, marking a shift in the region’s stance on landmine restrictions. The four Baltic-region countries had long considered a coordinated approach to withdrawing from the treaty.

Despite these recommendations, defense officials have downplayed the immediate military need for anti-personnel mines, instead stressing that the move primarily serves as a political signal to Moscow.

Latvia's Chief of Defence, Major General Kaspars Pudāns, underscored that while the issue is being debated, Latvia’s “priorities remain focused on anti-tank mines and artillery shells.”

The 1997 Ottawa Treaty, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty, was signed on December 3, 1997, in Ottawa, Canada. The treaty aims to eliminate landmines globally, banning their use, production, and transfer while requiring signatory states to destroy stockpiles within four years and clear mine-affected areas within a decade. It also mandates assistance to victims, including rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration.

As of 2025, over 160 countries are party to the treaty, though some major military powers — including the United States, Russia, and China — have not signed or ratified it.

While the treaty has significantly reduced the number of new landmine casualties worldwide, Russia’s war in Ukraine has brought renewed debate over its relevance and effectiveness in frontline states bordering Russian territory.

By Tamilla Hasanova