In a stark shift driven by battlefield realities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree initiating Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, the international treaty banning the use of anti-personnel landmines. The move signals a dramatic recalibration of Kyiv’s defense strategy amid what officials describe as “unprecedented and asymmetric warfare” waged by Russia.
Signed on June 29, the decree must still undergo parliamentary ratification and formal notification to the United Nations before Ukraine’s withdrawal becomes official. The decision comes at a time when Ukraine is considered the most heavily mined country in the world, with experts estimating that mine clearance could take decades—even after the war ends.
“This is not a choice, but a necessity,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry said in a statement. “Our commitment to humanitarian norms remains, but the security of our people and the survival of our state must come first.”
Russia, which never joined the Ottawa Convention, has reportedly used landmines on an industrial scale, targeting both military and civilian areas. Ukrainian lawmakers argue that this has created a tactical imbalance, leaving Ukraine bound by rules its enemy ignores.
Roman Kostenko, secretary of the parliamentary committee on national security, stated, “When one side of a war plays by the rules and the other doesn’t, the outcome is not justice—it’s defeat. We cannot allow that.”
Ukraine is not alone in its pivot. In recent months, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Poland, and Estonia—all NATO members bordering Russia—have taken similar steps, citing growing security concerns.
The 1997 Ottawa Convention bans the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines. While over 160 countries are party to the treaty, major military powers like the U.S., Russia, China, and Pakistan have never signed it. Ukraine joined in 2005, when it still held one of the largest landmine stockpiles in the world.
Critics, including several humanitarian organizations, have warned that the return to landmine deployment will come at a high cost—especially to civilians. Landmines can remain active for decades, causing injury or death long after a war ends, and children are frequently among the victims.
President Zelensky, addressing the nation, described Russia’s mine warfare as a “trademark of terrorism” and added, “These weapons are not just tools of war. They are instruments of lasting suffering.”
Though the treaty stipulates that a country cannot withdraw during active conflict, legal experts suggest Kyiv may seek to argue exceptional circumstances based on its right to self-defense.
As Ukraine navigates a brutal and evolving war, the decision to abandon the landmine ban underscores the growing tension between international humanitarian norms and the demands of survival on the battlefield.
