Poland is preparing to restart the production of anti-personnel mines, its defense minister announced on Thursday, following the country’s decision—alongside the Baltic states—to withdraw from a treaty prohibiting their use.

Exiting the 1997 Ottawa Convention, which has been endorsed by over 160 nations, will enable Poland and the three Baltic republics to resume stockpiling and deploying anti-personnel mines, a move they justify as a response to growing security concerns linked to Russia.

"Poland and our neighbors cannot be bound by treaties that in any way restrict our defense and deterrence strategies," Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz stated during a press conference when questioned about the planned withdrawal from the convention.

"The duty of politicians is to remove the constraints currently imposed on the military, and that is exactly what Poland and our Baltic allies are doing," he added.

Kosiniak-Kamysz estimated that passing legislation to withdraw from the convention would take several months, followed by an additional six months for implementation at the United Nations.

"Reestablishing the capacity to manufacture these mines is a challenge for the defense industry," he noted, adding that there were indications of readiness to proceed.

Polish arms manufacturer Belma confirmed via email to Reuters that it currently produces anti-tank mines and could quickly reconfigure its equipment for anti-personnel mine production.


However, Charles Bechara from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines - Cluster Munition Coalition cautioned that reviving production would be a costly and complex endeavor.

"Even if pursued, it would take years to become operational, diverting resources from the development of more advanced and effective defense systems," he warned.

Cordula Droege, Chief Legal Officer of the International Committee of the Red Cross, expressed concerns over the potential consequences of such decisions, describing them as hasty.

"You have to ask: where does this stop? Will the next step be arguing that chemical weapons are necessary? Would that then justify abandoning the chemical weapons convention?" she questioned.