Finland has withdrawn from the Ottawa Treaty on anti-personnel mines: country has notified UN
Finland withdrew from the treaty on July 10, 2025, but the decision will not take effect until January 2026. The country will continue to support the humanitarian goals of the Ottawa Treaty.
According to Censor.NET, this was stated in a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.
The reason for the withdrawal was the need to strengthen defense in the face of the deteriorating security situation. The Finnish army now has the right to return anti-personnel mines to its defense arsenal.
"The termination of the Agreement does not affect Finland's other obligations under international law, such as its obligations under international humanitarian law, which will continue to be respected. Finland will continue to support the humanitarian objectives of the Ottawa Convention and humanitarian demining activities," the Foreign Ministry said.
The Ottawa Convention
The Ottawa Convention was signed in 1997. The goal is the complete elimination of anti-personnel mines through an international ban on their use, which should reduce civilian casualties. The countries that signed the document pledged not to use, produce or transfer these mines.
The Baltic States, Poland, and Ukraine have previously announced their withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention.
On April 24, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs signed a law on the country's withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, and production of unguided anti-personnel mines.
In early June, the Estonian parliament passed a law on the country's withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Anti-Personnel Mines.
Also in June, the Polish Sejm passed a bill to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which banned the use, manufacture, stockpiling, and transfer of anti-personnel mines.
On June 29, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy enacted the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention.
Lithuania and Finland plan to start producing anti-personnel mines in 2025 due to the threat from Russia. Some of the products may be supplied to Ukraine.
