Latvia's recent parliamentary decision to exit the Ottawa Treaty reflects growing concerns over Russia's military aggression, a decision likely to encourage similar actions among neighboring nations.
Latvia Leads Baltic Nations in Exiting Anti-Personnel Mine Convention
Latvia Leads Baltic Nations in Exiting Anti-Personnel Mine Convention
In response to heightened security threats, Latvia becomes the first Baltic country to withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa Treaty.
Latvia's Parliament voted on Wednesday to withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa Treaty, which prohibits the use of anti-personnel mines. This move marks Latvia as the first country in the Baltic region to take such action, following a collective decision made last month by Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Poland. The withdrawal is primarily motivated by concerns over Russian military aggression stemming from the Ukraine war.
In March, defense ministers from these NATO countries stated that the military threat to states bordering Russia and its ally Belarus has escalated significantly since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. They argued that these nations need more protection, prompting them to consider withdrawal from international accords like the Ottawa Treaty.
The decision comes against a backdrop of increased fear regarding regional security, a sentiment strongly echoed in Lithuania, which shares borders with both Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Lithuania's former defense minister, Laurynas Kasciunas, had visited the Ukrainian border with Belarus last August, igniting concerns about territorial defense and the utility of anti-personnel mines.
This anticipated mass exit from the Ottawa Treaty by Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, and potentially Finland suggests a troubling shift away from post-Cold War disarmament initiatives designed to reduce civilian casualties from landmines and similar ordnance. The Ottawa Treaty was part of a broader disarmament framework developed in the 1990s but notably lacks ratification from major military powers including the US, Russia, and China.
As the Baltic nations take steps to enhance their military readiness, the implications of these actions may reverberate throughout Europe, challenging decades of progress in arms control and advocating for disarmament.
