Erin Hunt | March 18, 2025
Mines Action Canada, a member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, is appalled by the Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian and Polish Ministers of Defence’s joint recommendation to abandon the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines. Security concerns for these countries are legitimate – however, landmines are a weapon of the past. They have been banned by the majority of the world because of their humanitarian impact and because of their lack of military utility.
“At a time when strength is needed, the Ministers of Defence of Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Poland are projecting weakness by recommending their countries leave the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines. These banned weapons are not a deterrent to modern militaries. The only reason landmines are used now is to terrorize civilians,” said Erin Hunt, Executive Director.
Previous research from the International Committee of the Red Cross commissioned in 1996 looked at the use of landmines in 26 conflicts from the 1940s to 1996 and found that landmines did not provide high military value. The study, endorsed by military officers from 19 countries, concluded that the limited value landmines did provide were outweighed by humanitarian consequences when actually used. Over 80% of casualties of anti-personnel landmines are civilians. The military benefit of landmines is overstated in arguments to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty. Landmines are not the solution to security concerns, since they would not provide valuable protection.
“Withdrawing from the Ottawa Treaty would be a rhetorical victory for Russia by showing that international law can be abandoned. Leaving the Ottawa Treaty will create unnecessary distance between members of NATO further giving Russia the impression that the alliance is weakening,” continued Hunt. “Furthermore, the choice to consider anti-personnel landmines implies that these countries have no other options and must resort to a weapon of the past out of fear. Now is the time to project strength and unity, not division and desperation.”
Mines Action Canada calls on the Governments of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland to not follow through on this recommendation. Also, Mines Action Canada calls on Canada to speak up and engage with our allies in defence of the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines. This Canadian success story has saved countless lives over the past 25 years and must stay strong to prevent future harm. Landmines are a weapon of choice for those like Russia and ISIS who want to terrorize civilians or a weapon of desperation for non-state actors with no other options. The Baltic countries are neither of those.