Lithuanian parliament votes to withdraw from landmine ban treaty

Meduza.io

Lithuania's parliament, the Seimas, has voted to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty, the international convention banning antipersonnel mines, Delfi reports.

A total of 107 MPs backed the decision, with three abstaining and nobody voting against. At least 85 votes were needed for the withdrawal to pass.

According to Delfi, Lithuania’s exit from the convention will take effect after six months.

The Ottawa Treaty was signed in 1997 by 164 countries. Its signatories pledged never to use, develop, produce, or transfer anti-personnel mines and to destroy all existing stockpiles. Russia, the U.S., China, India, and Pakistan did not join the treaty.

In March, the defenses ministers of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland recommended that their governments withdraw from the convention. They argued that the security situation in the region had “fundamentally deteriorated” and that military threats to NATO countries bordering Russia and Belarus had “significantly increased.” In early 2024, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia had indicated they might leave the treaty in order to bolster their defenses against a potential Russian attack. The countries have since decided to boost their stockpiles of anti-personnel mines, along with other weapons deemed less dangerous to civilians.

In mid-April, Latvia’s parliament also voted to withdraw from the convention.

The argument against withdrawal

• Amnesty International decries plans for Poland and Baltic countries to withdraw from antipersonnel mine treaty