Four European states are backing out of a ban on landmines due to the rising threat from Russia.
Anti-personnel mines, which are designed for use against humans rather than vehicles such as tanks, are banned by most countries under a 1997 treaty championed by the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Algeria leads efforts to keep curbs in place.
But some military heavyweights, including the US and Russia, have never signed up, and the return of war in Europe has prompted a rethink.
Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia have announced plans to quit the treaty to allow their militaries to use “every necessary measure” to defend themselves from Moscow. “It is not right that we are prohibiting ourselves from using weapons that Russia is prepared to use against us,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.
A joint statement by the four countries says they face “dire security challenges” that mean their armed forces need “flexibility and freedom of choice” to develop new weapons. They said they would still respect the wider laws of armed conflict, such as rules on protecting civilians.
The UN has reported an “industrial use” of landmines during the war in Ukraine on a scale not seen since the Second World War. Kyiv was given landmines by former US president Joe Biden's administration in a “limited exception” from American policy, and accuses Russia of contaminating large swathes of land with explosives.
European states are ramping up their defences for fear that Russia will attack Nato territory and that President Donald Trump's America will not be a reliable ally. Germany embarked on a historic shift of its own on Tuesday by voting through more than $500 billion in borrowing to rebuild its military and infrastructure.
The Halo Trust, a mine clearance charity that worked with Princess Diana in the 1990s, said on Tuesday that the treaty had been “instrumental in saving millions of people's lives”. It said states should still put money towards landmine clearance even if they do not uphold the ban.
The trust acknowledged that Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 had “created a new reality” for the defence of Europe. It said that “outside of eastern Europe the treaty will remain the bedrock of efforts to save civilian lives”.
In addition to Ukraine, landmines have recently been used in North Korea and Myanmar with a “direct, brutal impact” that could persist for decades, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines said last week. It said withdrawing from the treaty would “send the wrong signal at the worst possible time, aligning these countries with those who seek to weaken international norms”.
Algerian push
Countries will vote this month on a UN motion urging them to “reinforce and enhance” their commitment to the mine ban. The push is being led by Algeria which says the world should keep aiming for a “mine-free world”.
Rachid Bladehane, Algeria's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, said the country's experience was shaped by French colonial mines left over from the 1950s war of independence. He told diplomats that Algeria was an “outstanding example” of anti-landmine efforts after it was declared mine-free in 2017.
“This draft resolution is a timely push in favour of our ultimate goal of a mine-free world and safer future for the generations to come,” Mr Bladehane said. He said the motion backed by Britain, South Africa and four others came at a “very critical juncture, characterised by serious and unprecedented threats and blatant attempts to draw back from the very significant achievements in this area”.
More than 160 countries have signed up to the mine ban treaty, including nuclear-armed states Britain and France. They agreed they would “never under any circumstances” develop or use anti-personnel mines and committed to destroying existing stockpiles.
As well as the US and Russia, China has not signed up. The text of the Algeria-backed motion says states should consider ratifying the treaty if they have not done so, and should make “co-ordinated efforts” to help survivors of landmine explosions.
However, the text has been watered down to remove a line urging states to “accelerate de-mining efforts and destruction of stockpiled anti-personnel mines”. A passage encouraging other states to join the treaty “without delay” has also been softened.
