17:12 18 March 2025
Mins of Defense in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland recommend using land mines
The defense ministers of Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have recommended withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the production and use of anti-personnel mines. They argue that, given the deteriorating security situation in the region, all necessary defense measures must be considered to protect national sovereignty and freedom.
The Ottawa Treaty, signed in 1997 and ratified by 163 countries, has not been accepted by nations like China, Russia, the U.S., and Israel. Poland signed in 1997 but ratified it only in 2012. Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently signaled Poland's intent to withdraw, reinforcing the stance that flexibility in military strategy is now crucial for NATO's eastern flank defense.
