On Saturday, December 27, Lithuania officially withdrew from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use, stockpiling, and production of anti-personnel mines.
The decision was reported through official channels and confirmed by changes in the country’s stance on international mine regulation.
December 27 marked exactly six months since Lithuania officially notified the United Nations Secretary-General of its withdrawal from the convention.
The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense had previously stressed that, after withdrawal, the country would begin negotiations regarding the possibility of procuring or producing anti-personnel mines.
Context of the exit and next steps
On December 27, Latvia’s decision to officially withdraw from the Ottawa Convention also took effect.
In March, the defense ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland issued a joint statement urging their countries to withdraw from the convention; Finland later joined them.
In May, Lithuania’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention was approved by the Seimas.
Most EU countries are members of the Ottawa Convention, while China, Russia, the United States, India, and Pakistan have not joined it.
Further consultations and decisions regarding possible procurement or production of anti-personnel mines are expected.