Finland Notifies UN of Withdrawal From Anti-Landmine Treaty

The withdrawal comes against a backdrop of regional instability, with the Russia–Ukraine war now into its third year.

Ukrainian mine experts scan for unexploded ordnance and landmines by the main road to Kherson, Ukraine, on Nov. 16, 2022. Murad Sezer/Reuters

Finland has informed the United Nations that it will withdraw from a treaty banning the use of anti-personnel landmines, citing a ‘deteriorated security environment,’ the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on July 10.

The withdrawal from the Ottawa Anti-Personnel Landmines Convention will take effect in January 2026, the ministry said in a statement.

“The withdrawal from the Convention will enable Finland to reintroduce anti-personnel mines to the range of its available means of defence,” the ministry stated. “Finland gave notice of withdrawal to all other States Parties of the Convention, to the Depositary of the Convention, that is the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and to the United Nations Security Council.”

It added that the decision will not affect Finland’s other obligations under international humanitarian law related to the treatment of civilians during armed conflict.

The move comes against a backdrop of regional instability, with the Russia–Ukraine war now well into its third year.

Finland, one of NATO’s newest members, joined the alliance in 2023 following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, ending decades of nonalignment for the Nordic country.

The Finnish government announced its intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention on April 1, with Prime Minister Petteri Orpo saying at the time that although there was no direct immediate military threat, Moscow posed a long-term threat to all of Europe.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said at the time, “Finland is committed to its international obligations on the responsible use of mines. Finland will always remain a responsible actor in the world, safeguarding its security and defense.”

Finland shares the longest border with Russia of any NATO member, and its accession effectively doubled the alliance’s border with the Russian Federation.

Baltic States, Poland

In recent months, NATO and EU member states Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland—all of which border Russia—have announced their intentions to leave the Ottawa treaty.

On March 18, all three Baltic states and Poland issued a joint statement on their intention, saying that since the convention came into force, the security situation in their region “has fundamentally deteriorated.”

The countries’ defense ministers said in a joint statement that “military threats to NATO Member States bordering Russia and Belarus have significantly increased,” and as a result, “it is essential to evaluate all measures to strengthen our deterrence and defense capabilities.”

Leaving the convention would give the countries the flexibility they needed “to potentially use new weapons systems and solutions,” the ministers said.

They added that with their decision, “we are sending a clear message: our countries are prepared and can use every necessary measure to defend our territory and freedom.”

Ottawa Convention

After Finland’s initial announcement in the spring, humanitarian campaigners said they feared it marked the end of decades of progress.

Iain Overton, executive director of British charity Action on Armed Violence, told The Epoch Times in April, “We’re witnessing a quiet threat to one of the most significant humanitarian disarmament successes of the last 30 years.”

He said the Ottawa convention “was never just about banning a weapon, it was a global commitment to protect civilians from indiscriminate harm.”

“When nations now walk away from that pledge, they’re not only reigniting the landmine threat, they’re sending a message that civilian protection is optional in times of geopolitical tension,” he added.

The Ottawa Anti-Personnel Landmines Convention was signed in the Canadian capital of Ottawa in 1997 and came into force in 1999.

To date, 165 countries have agreed to be bound by the convention. Among the notable nations that do not subscribe to the treaty are the United States, China, India, Iran, Israel, Russia, and Saudi Arabia.

A report by the Landmine Monitor published last year said that landmines were still actively being used in 2023 and 2024 by Burma (also known as Myanmar) and Russia. North Korea and Iran were also alleged to have used landmines, according to media reports, the report said.

Guy Birchall and Chris Summers contributed to this report.