As Reuters reports
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Poland’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention would enable the country to rapidly deploy antipersonnel mines along its eastern border in times of threat, including within 48 hours.
According to him, completing the mine program is crucial for the security of the state and the protection of its territory; Reuters quoted these remarks during a press conference.
Key Contexts and Europe’s Response
In December, Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski told Reuters that Warsaw plans to resume production of antipersonnel mines – for the first time since the Cold War – for deployment along the eastern border and possible export to Ukraine.
Poland began the process of exiting the Ottawa Convention in August and is officially set to complete it after six months, which ends on February 20, 2026.
Most European countries neighboring Russia are seeking to leave the treaty, except Norway, which bans the production and use of antipersonnel mines. Poland plans to deploy mines as part of the “Eastern Shield” project to secure its borders with Belarus and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
Such steps have sparked active discussions about humanitarian and regional consequences, given the risks to civilians and regional stability.
Польща може замінувати кордон протягом 48 годин після виходу з Оттавської конвенції – Туск
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