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Poland and the Baltic states have announced plans to withdraw from a key international treaty that prohibits anti-personal mines, citing Russia’s threat.
In a joint statement, the Ministers of the Defense of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland stated that since the signing of the Treaty of the Moscow’s Attava threats and its ally have increased significantly. “
They stated that the “paramount” to give their troops “flexibility and freedom of choice” to protect NATO’s eastern flank, they said.
The Ottawa Treaty, also known as the ban on the mine, came into force in 1997. It is aimed at banning the characters – those who are aimed at people – all over the world, and has been signed by more than 160 countries.
But some major military states – including China, India, Russia, Pakistan and the United States – have never signed.
All Baltic States signed the congress until 2005, and Poland joined in 2012.
In Their joint statement On Tuesday, the countries’ defense ministers said the security situation in their region after signing the contract “significantly deteriorated”.
“In the light of these opinions we … unanimously recommend to leave the Ottawa Convention.
“With this decision, we send a clear message: our countries are preparing and can use all the necessary measures to protect our territory and freedom,” the defense ministers write.
But they emphasized that, despite the plans to leave the treaty, Poland and the Baltic states are still committed to international humanitarian legislation, including defense of civilians during armed conflicts. ”
“Our countries will continue to support these principles by resolving our security needs,” they wrote.
All four countries are in the NATO alliance, and all four are bordered by Russia.
Since the beginning of a full -scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Baltic states and Poland significantly increased military expenses, and tilted great support for Ukraine.
According to the Analytical Center of the Kiel Institute, the percentage of GDP, the Baltic states and Poland are one of the highest donors to assist Ukraine.
Ukraine is the signatorial of the Ottaw Treaty, though He got from the US to mine from the ground During a full-scale invasion of Russia and in the past, the UN said that because of the invasion of Russia This cannot guarantee This fulfills the contract.
Article 20 of the Convention In particular, it is said that the nation cannot leave the contract when it is currently fighting.
The UN star Ukraine is now the most acquired nation in the world.
