Poland and Baltics to exit landmine treaty for security

Poland and the Baltic states have announced plans to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty, which bans anti-personnel landmines. They cited rising threats from Russia as the main reason for this decision. The defence ministers from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland emphasized that their troops need more flexibility to defend NATO's eastern flank. The Ottawa Treaty, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty, was created in 1997 and has been signed by over 160 countries. However, some major military powers such as China, India, Russia, and the U.S. never joined. All four countries from the Baltic region signed the convention by 2005, and Poland became a signatory in 2012. In their statement, the defence ministers noted that the security situation in their region has worsened since they signed the treaty. They believe that withdrawing from the treaty sends a strong message about their readiness to protect their territory. Despite this decision, they reaffirmed their commitment to international humanitarian laws and the protection of civilians during armed conflicts. All four nations are members of NATO and share borders with Russia. Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, they have increased military spending and provided significant aid to Ukraine. Ukraine is also a signatory to the Ottawa Treaty but has received landmines from the U.S. during the conflict. The United Nations estimates that Ukraine is now the most mined nation in the world.