NATO members Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have announced their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, a global treaty prohibiting the use of anti-personnel landmines. Citing mounting military threats from neighboring Russia, the four nations confirmed the decision on Tuesday.

By renouncing the 1997 treaty, which has been ratified by over 160 countries, Poland and the three Baltic states will regain the ability to stockpile and deploy landmines.

"The security risks facing NATO nations bordering Russia and Belarus have escalated significantly," their defense ministers declared in a joint statement. "With this decision, we are sending a clear signal: our nations are prepared to take every necessary step to safeguard our security."

All four countries share borders with Russia, while Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia also border Belarus, a close ally of Moscow.

The announcement comes at a crucial moment, as Ukraine and Russia edge closer to a potential 30-day ceasefire, which could evolve into a more permanent resolution of their three-year-long war.

However, Warsaw and the Baltic capitals fear that a lull in the conflict could allow Russia to rebuild its military strength—potentially shifting its focus toward them. Having once been under Soviet rule, these nations remain deeply wary of Moscow’s ambitions.

"Poland's hands cannot be tied," declared Polish Deputy Prime Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz in a press conference.

The Ottawa Treaty, one of the landmark disarmament agreements of the post-Cold War era, was instrumental in banning landmines—deadly weapons that have caused tens of thousands of civilian casualties worldwide, often long after conflicts have ended. The movement against landmines was even awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) condemned the decision, warning of its severe humanitarian consequences.

"Bringing back these horrific weapons would be a deeply troubling step backward," said Cordula Droege, Chief Legal Officer at ICRC. "They offer limited military value but cause immense civilian suffering."

The United States, Russia, China, India, and Israel never signed the Ottawa Convention, and the U.S. has supplied cluster munitions—another widely banned weapon—to Ukraine.

Now, other nations may follow Poland and the Baltic states. Finland, which was the last EU country to sign the treaty in 2012, has hinted at reconsidering its commitment. Citing Russia’s extensive use of landmines in Ukraine, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen suggested in December that withdrawing from the treaty could be a strategic necessity.

"We have closely analyzed Russian warfare tactics in Ukraine, particularly their large-scale use of infantry and mines," Hakkanen told Reuters.

On Tuesday, Finnish Parliament’s Defense Committee chair Jukka Kopra welcomed Poland and the Baltics' move, calling it "a good and wise decision."

Each country must navigate its own legal process to exit the treaty:
• Poland can withdraw through parliamentary approval, a presidential sign-off, and formal notification to the United Nations—with the withdrawal taking effect six months later.
• Estonia requires government and parliamentary approval.
• Lithuania's president must propose the withdrawal, which then requires a three-fifths majority in parliament.

This decision marks a significant shift in regional security strategy, signaling that NATO’s eastern flank is prioritizing deterrence over disarmament. With geopolitical tensions at their highest in decades, more countries may soon reconsider their stance on landmine bans.