Poland, Baltic states inch closer to leaving Ottawa Treaty on landmine ban

Defence ministers from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have recommended that their countries withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa Treaty, which bans the use of antipersonnel mines.

The decision comes as military threats to NATO member states along the borders of Russia and Belarus have significantly increased, according to a joint statement released by the four countries on March 18, Caliber.Az reports via Western media.

“Military threats to NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus have significantly increased," the statement reads. "We believe that in the current security environment it is paramount to provide our defence forces flexibility and freedom of choice to potentially use new weapons systems and solutions to bolster the defence of the alliance’s vulnerable Eastern flank.”

The Ottawa Treaty, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty, has come under growing pressure due to Moscow's ongoing war in Ukraine, with frontline states along the Russia-Ukraine border looking to strengthen their defenses.

Poland has already signaled its intent to begin the process of withdrawing from the treaty, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announcing earlier this month that Poland would start taking steps to leave. The four countries had long considered a coordinated, regional approach to withdrawal.

Despite the recommendation, the defense ministers emphasized that this move is more of a political signal to Moscow than a reflection of an immediate military need.

"Decisions regarding the Ottawa Convention should be made in solidarity and coordination within the region. At the same time, we currently have no plans to develop, stockpile, or use previously banned anti-personnel landmines," said Estonia's Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur.

Latvia's chief of defence, Major General Kaspars Pudāns, also highlighted that the country's priorities remain focused on anti-tank mines and artillery shells.

Meanwhile, Finland’s Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen indicated that Helsinki is considering withdrawing from the treaty but did not sign today’s statement.

The 1997 Ottawa Treaty, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty or the Ottawa Convention, is an international agreement aimed at eliminating landmines. Signed on December 3, 1997, in Ottawa, Canada, the treaty sought to address the humanitarian and socio-economic consequences of landmines, which continue to cause injury and death long after conflicts end. It requires signatory countries to ban the use, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines, destroy existing stockpiles within four years, clear mined areas within a decade, and assist victims of landmines by providing support for rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration.

As of 2025, more than 160 countries are party to the treaty, although some major countries, including the United States, Russia, and China, have not signed or ratified it. The treaty has significantly reduced the number of new mine casualties worldwide, though challenges remain in areas where landmines continue to pose a threat.

By Khagan Isayev