Lithuania withdraws from major military convention as Russia threat surges

The Lithuanian parliament has voted in favor of withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of anti-personnel landmines, as the Baltic nation seeks to bolster its defenses along the border with Russia.

The vote passed overwhelmingly, with 107 members in favor, none opposed, and only three abstentions. The decision follows a joint announcement made in March by Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland declaring their intent to exit the treaty.

In a joint statement at the time, the defense ministers of the four countries stated that "all necessary measures" must be taken to defend their territories in the face of mounting security concerns.

“It’s official: Lithuania is withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, a decision approved by Parliament today,” the country’s Ministry of Defense posted on X (formerly Twitter), adding that the withdrawal will take effect in six months.

These nations—each of which shares a border with Russia—argue that the treaty, which prohibits the use and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines, limits their ability to respond to a potential military threat from Moscow.

Finland has also followed suit, becoming the latest country to announce its withdrawal from the convention.

(QG - Source: Le Figaro — Picture : © Unsplash)