Poland Considers Withdrawing from Anti-Personnel Mine Bans

7 March, 2025 Russian anti-personnel mines POM-3 "Medallion". March 2022. Photo: NGO "Association of Sappers of Ukraine"

Poland plans to withdraw from the treaties banning anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions. Prime Minister Donald Tusk voiced this during his speech in the Sejm. "I will recommend to the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff to give a positive assessment of Poland's withdrawal from the Ottawa Treaty and, possibly, from the Dublin Convention.

I mean anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions," Tusk said. The Polish Prime Minister specified that he would hold consultations with the defense ministry on this issue. He also noted that Poland will use all available means to ensure its security.

Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland.

Photo: Open Sources

Tusk also stated Poland must use all available means to ensure its security, noting that neighboring countries possess such weapons. The 1997 Ottawa Convention, joined by 163 countries, bans the use, production, and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines. The 2008 Dublin Convention prohibits cluster munitions, which pose long-term risks to civilians due to unexploded ordnance.

They are often not equipped with self-destruction mechanisms, and, according to military experts, a significant percentage may not explode, creating a danger to the civilian population even after the end of military conflicts.

M14 high-explosive anti-personnel mines. Photo from open sources

Militarnyi recently reported that Lithuania is officially terminating its participation in the treaty banning cluster munitions. The country wants to strengthen its defense capabilities due to the threat from the Russian army.

In addition, a civil initiative in Finland has gathered signatures to support the country's withdrawal from the Ottawa Treaty, which bans the use of anti-personnel mines.