NATO members Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania announce plans to withdraw from the global landmine ban treaty as Russia’s aggressive posture forces them to reconsider their defensive capabilities.
Quick Takes
- Four NATO countries plan to exit the 1997 Ottawa Treaty banning anti-personnel landmines due to increased security threats from Russia and Belarus
- The global treaty has over 160 signatories, but major military powers including Russia, China, and the United States never joined
- Defense ministers cite a “fundamentally deteriorated” security situation since their nations signed the agreement
- The countries intend to maintain commitment to international humanitarian laws despite their withdrawal
- The Baltic states and Poland have been among the most significant supporters of Ukraine, which is now the world’s most heavily mined country
Eastern NATO Members Prepare for New Defense Reality
Four NATO members sharing borders with Russia have announced plans to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, a global treaty banning anti-personnel landmines. Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania cited the dramatically changed security environment in Eastern Europe as the primary motivation for their decision. The defense ministers released a joint statement indicating that Russia’s increasingly aggressive posture, especially following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has forced them to reconsider previously abandoned defensive measures to protect their sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Ottawa Treaty, which came into effect in 1997, prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines and has gained more than 160 signatories worldwide. However, several major military powers including Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and the United States have never signed the agreement. The Baltic states joined the treaty by 2005, with Poland following in 2012. Their withdrawal represents a significant shift in defense policy for these frontline NATO states as they adapt to what they perceive as an increasingly hostile neighborhood.
Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, which forbids signatory countries from producing, stockpiling, and using anti-personnel landmines. pic.twitter.com/DqMiqV5ULj
— TVP World (@TVPWorld_com) March 18, 2025
Security Concerns Override Humanitarian Considerations
The defense ministers of these four NATO member states issued a clear justification for their recommendation to withdraw from the treaty. In their statement, they emphasized that the security situation in their region has “fundamentally deteriorated” since they joined the Ottawa Convention. This changing reality has prompted a reassessment of military capabilities needed to adequately defend NATO’s eastern flank, which may soon include the option to deploy anti-personnel landmines as part of a comprehensive defense strategy.
“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 defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland declared in their joint statement.
The ministers emphasized that despite withdrawing from the treaty, they remain committed to upholding international humanitarian laws and ensuring civilian protection during armed conflicts. Their decision is portrayed as strictly defensive in nature, aimed at deterring potential aggression rather than preparing for offensive operations. The stance mirrors growing concern across Eastern Europe that conventional deterrence measures may be insufficient against Russia’s hybrid warfare tactics and military buildup along shared borders.
Ukraine Crisis Influences Defense Calculations
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has profoundly shaped the security calculations of nearby NATO members. Since February 2022, Poland and the Baltic states have significantly increased military spending and provided substantial support to Ukraine’s defense efforts. These countries rank among the highest donors of aid to Ukraine by percentage of GDP, reflecting their assessment that Ukraine’s fight is also their own security concern. The ongoing conflict has demonstrated the brutal realities of modern warfare and the potential vulnerabilities of NATO’s eastern members.
The United Nations now considers Ukraine the most heavily mined country in the world, with both defensive and offensive mine placement occurring across vast swathes of territory. Ukraine, itself a signatory to the Ottawa Treaty, has received landmines from the United States and struggles to maintain compliance with the treaty while fighting for its survival. The Landmine Monitor, which tracks implementation of the Ottawa Convention, reported that land mines were still being actively deployed in 2023 and 2024 by several nations, including Russia, Myanmar, Iran, and North Korea.
The decision by these four NATO members represents a sobering acknowledgment that the post-Cold War security architecture in Europe has fundamentally changed. While humanitarian concerns about civilian casualties from landmines remain valid, these frontline states have determined that the immediate threat to their sovereignty outweighs long-term aspirations for a landmine-free world. Their withdrawal signals a broader shift toward practical defense measures in an increasingly unpredictable security environment.
