Poland, Baltics may withdraw from anti-personnel landmine treaty

WARSAW, Poland — The governments of Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have announced their willingness to withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Mines Convention, also known as the Ottawa Treaty, citing an increasingly belligerent Russia.

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, the four allies say that “it is essential to evaluate all measures to strengthen our deterrence and defense capabilities,” according to a joint statement. This includes a potential return to using landmines to secure their respective borders with Russia.

The treaty bans the development, manufacturing, use, storage and transfer of anti-personnel mines.

Since ratifying the convention, “the security situation in our region has fundamentally deteriorated,” the four defense ministries said in their statement. “Military threats to NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus have significantly increased.”

In light of the unstable security environment in the region, “we — the Ministers of Defence of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland —unanimously recommend withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention. With this decision, we are sending a clear message: our countries are prepared and can use every necessary measure to defend our territory and freedom,” the statement reads.

Concluded in September 1997, the convention has gathered 133 signatories and 165 parties, according to the latest available data from the United Nations. Russia is not a signatory of the treaty, nor is the United States.

Jaroslaw Adamowski is the Poland correspondent for Defense News.

波兰华沙——波兰、爱沙尼亚、拉脱维亚和立陶宛政府宣布，由于俄罗斯日益好战，他们愿意退出《反人员地雷公约》（又称《渥太华条约》）。

随着俄罗斯入侵乌克兰的持续，四个盟国在一份联合声明中表示，“必须评估所有旨在加强我们威慑和防御能力的措施”。这包括可能重新使用地雷来确保各自与俄罗斯接壤的边界安全。

该条约禁止研制、制造、使用、储存和转让杀伤人员地雷。

四国国防部在声明中表示，自批准该公约以来，“我们地区的安全形势已从根本上恶化”。“与俄罗斯和白俄罗斯接壤的北约成员国面临的军事威胁显著增加。”

鉴于该地区安全环境不稳定，“我们——爱沙尼亚、拉脱维亚、立陶宛和波兰的国防部长——一致建议退出《渥太华公约》。通过这一决定，我们发出一个明确的信息：我们各国已做好准备，并可采取一切必要措施捍卫我们的领土和自由。”声明中写道。

根据联合国最新公布的数据，该公约于1997年9月缔结，目前已有133个签署国和165个缔约方。俄罗斯和美国均未签署该条约。

Jaroslaw Adamowski 是《防务新闻》驻波兰记者。