Finland’s parliament voted to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines on June 19, citing growing security concerns fueled by Russia’s aggressive posture and its use of landmines in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion in 2022.
The decision aligns Finland with its Baltic allies Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, whose parliaments have also approved similar exits from the treaty. Finnish President Alexander Stubb defended the move, stating that the security reality along Finland’s border with Russia has changed dramatically since the Ukraine invasion.
Stubb said that Russia is an “aggressive, imperialist state” that uses landmines ruthlessly and poses a threat to the region. This statement comes as Finland ramps up its defense posture amid concerns over potential Russian provocations.
The country closed its border with Russia over a year ago, accusing Moscow of orchestrating a “hybrid operation” by directing asylum seekers toward Finnish territory. Helsinki claims that such hybrid tactics have intensified since it joined NATO in 2023.
Finland is also constructing a fence along its eastern frontier, aiming to complete the 200-kilometer stretch by 2024. The move follows growing evidence of Russian military infrastructure expansion near the Finnish border.
Russia’s Defense Minister Andrei Belousov warned that Moscow must be ready for a potential conflict with NATO within the next decade. Western officials have also expressed concerns about the possibility that Moscow could target NATO members in the coming years.
Source: https://kyivindependent.com/finland-votes-to-withdraw-from-landmine-treaty-citing-russian-threat