Finland Votes to Withdraw from Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty Amid Heightened Russian Threat

 June 20, 2025 – Finland's parliament yesterday, Thursday, June 19th, overwhelmingly voted to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty, an international convention banning anti-personnel landmines. The decision, driven by escalating security concerns and the aggressive posture of neighboring Russia, marks a significant shift in Finland's defense policy.

The Finnish Parliament approved the government's proposal to exit the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Ottawa Treaty) by a vote of 157 in favor and 18 against, with 24 members absent. The move reverses Finland's long-standing commitment to the treaty, which it joined in 2012, much later than most other European Union countries.

Reasoning Behind the Withdrawal:

Finnish officials have consistently cited a fundamentally changed security environment in Europe, primarily due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and its continued aggressive actions.

• Deterrence and Defense: Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia and joined NATO in 2023, views anti-personnel mines as a crucial defensive weapon, particularly suitable for its vast and rugged terrain.
• Russia's Mine Use: Finnish President Alexander Stubb, in defending the decision earlier this week, stated, "The reality in the endgame is that we have as our neighbouring country an aggressive, imperialist state called Russia, which itself is not a member of the Ottawa Treaty and which itself uses landmines ruthlessly." Russia has indeed deployed landmines extensively in Ukraine.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen emphasized that landmines are a "simple and cost-effective weapon" that can supplement the Defence Forces' capabilities.

Next Steps and Broader Context:

The withdrawal will officially take effect six months after Finland formally notifies the UN Secretary-General. Upon exiting, Finland will be permitted to stockpile and potentially reintroduce anti-personnel landmines into its military strategy.

Finland is not alone in this re-evaluation. Earlier this spring, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland – all NATO members bordering Russia – also announced or approved plans to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty, citing similar heightened security concerns.

The decision has drawn criticism from humanitarian organizations and the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who on Monday expressed grave concern over states withdrawing from the treaty, warning it could undermine two decades of efforts to protect civilians. However, the Finnish Parliament also adopted a statement affirming Finland's continued support for humanitarian demining operations in conflict areas globally, despite its own withdrawal.