On February 20, Poland officially left the Ottawa Convention, which bans the production, use, and storage of antipersonnel mines. The move aims to bolster the country’s defense capabilities and strengthen security on its eastern borders.
Official sources report this, confirming the step taken amid growing challenges to regional stability.
Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska, deputy chair of the Parliament’s National Defense Committee, said that such a step is justified. She emphasized that Ukrainian experience demonstrates the importance of having such capabilities in modern defense.
At the onset of the invasion, Ukrainians used almost three million antipersonnel mines along the border, which significantly slowed the Russians’ advance. It simply turned out that these mines were needed. It was clear that in any conflict antipersonnel mines would still appear on Polish territory. The question is only whether they would be Russian mines, or also our own.
– Polish Radio
In the regional context, discussions focus on security prospects, in particular issues of storing mines and conducting appropriate training for personnel.
Outlook and Context of Regional Security
Currently, a deputy from the Civic Coalition emphasized that it is too early to talk about the scale and locations for storing mines. She also stressed the importance of proper training for personnel to ensure effective and safe handling of such devices.
It is also known that Finland had previously officially left the Ottawa Convention and plans to develop and manufacture antipersonnel mines in the future.