Ukraine Withdraws from Ottawa Anti-Personnel Mines Treaty Amid Russian Conflict

Ukraine has officially withdrawn from the Ottawa Convention, an international treaty banning the use, production, and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines, by a decree signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. This decision responds to the realities of the ongoing war with Russia, which is not a party to the Convention and has extensively used mines against Ukrainian military and civilians, creating an asymmetric advantage. Ukrainian officials, including Roman Kostenko, Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, emphasize that remaining bound by the treaty limits Ukraine's right to effective territorial defense. The withdrawal follows similar moves by neighboring countries such as Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, and others, who reassessed their positions in light of Russian aggression. While the presidential decree sets the withdrawal in motion, a parliamentary decision is still required to formalize the exit from the treaty. Ukrainian authorities argue that this difficult but necessary step is crucial for the survival and sovereignty of Ukraine.