The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania passed a decision on Lithuania’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction.
On March 18 Ministers of Defence of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland passed a joint proposal of withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, and sent a strategic signal that the countries will avail of every resource for strengthening their deterrence and defence capabilities. On April 1 Finland followed suit claiming it would initiate the denouncement procedure, which totals to essentially all the states bordering the Russian Federation (except for the Kingdom of Norway) having announced plans to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which is a testament to their shared perception of threats and preparation to use anything required in defence of their territory and sovereignty.
“There has been a long and complicated road walked up to this decision and this is the result of it. We are getting ready for next step now – to present Lithuania’s decision to the Depository of the United Nations. And most importantly, we are gearing up for mine production and acquisition. We are going to take this important step with the other regional neighbors: Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. Russia is using everything without restraint to kill innocent people in Ukraine, so we are taking every possible and impossible measure to deter and, if necessary, defend our citizens as well. Therefore, Russian forces shall not cut through our borders and their dirty boots will never get here,” said Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė.
Lithuania ratified the Ottawa Convention in 2003. The security situation has deteriorated since then fundamentally. Military threats faced by Lithuania and the other members of NATO bordering the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus have increased significantly. The Russian Federation resorts to military aggression to advance its goals, grossly violates the international law and disrespects its international commitments.
The threat perception has changed fundamentally since then, and the former legal commitment is now seen as a curtailment of Lithuania’s capabilities and choice in national defence.
It is necessary to take into account this unstable security situation marked by the Russian threat and persistent threats to the Euro-Atlantic community and to weigh all the means of strengthening our deterrence and defence capabilities. Our military forces need the flexibility and liberty to avail of all the means they have to counter the potential aggression and safeguard the Eastern flank of NATO.
Russia, the aggressor in the war in Ukraine, is not a party to the Ottawa Convention. It has vast stockpiles of anti-personnel mines and use them intensely against a signatory of the Ottawa Convention, Ukraine.
Anti-personnel mines are an effective and relatively low-price means to disrupt pedestrian movement of infantry forces and establish a strong and hardy defence line to block an advancing force.
Lithuania will continue adhering to the recognized principles and norms of the international law addressing methods and means of warfare and protection of civilians even after denouncing the Ottawa Convention. Lithuania is absolutely serious about it commitments concerning implementation of the Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols and will do everything required to mitigate any humanitarian implications of anti-personnel mine use. Potential harmful effect of the land mines might be mitigated if strict procedures and rules of use are set.
The official Letter of Denouncement needs to be signed by the President of the Republic of Lithuania and handed to the Secretary General of the United Nations, and an official notification to the UN Security Council has to be made. Lithuania will be able to fully withdraw from the Convention 6 months after handing in the official letter.
