The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine plans to consider a bill regarding the termination of the Ottawa Convention on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines for Ukraine at its upcoming session. This was announced by the Speaker of Parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk, emphasizing the importance of this decision in the context of ensuring national security and protecting citizens amid the ongoing aggression of the Russian Federation.
This is reported by Kyiv24
“A draft law of Ukraine ‘On the Suspension of the Action of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and Their Destruction’ has been submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. This decision is dictated by security challenges related to the ongoing armed aggression of Russia against Ukraine and the necessity to ensure proper protection for the state and its citizens”
Reasons for Ukraine’s Withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention
Since 2005, Ukraine has adhered to the provisions of the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use, development, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines, as well as obliges the destruction of their stockpiles. However, following the onset of the full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine in 2022, the situation has significantly changed. As noted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russia has not been a party to this convention and has been using anti-personnel mines against Ukraine since 2014, creating an asymmetric advantage for the enemy on the battlefield.
The decree on withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention has already been signed by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. The relevant document has been published on the official website of the head of state.
International Context and the Position of European Countries
The Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines, known as the Ottawa Treaty, was signed in 1997 by 164 states. It was not joined by the Russian Federation, the USA, China, India, and Pakistan. Recently, due to the increasing threat from Russia, several European countries are considering the possibility of withdrawing from the agreement. In particular, in the spring of 2025, the defense ministers of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland advised their governments to leave the convention, arguing that this is due to the increasing military risks for NATO countries bordering Russia and Belarus. The parliaments of the Baltic States, Poland, and Finland have already approved the relevant decisions.