Poland withdraws from the Mine Ban Convention

Poland withdraws from the anti-personnel mine ban convention

Poland has decided to withdraw from the international convention banning the use of anti-personnel mines. This is reported by «Polish Radio».

The Polish authorities note that the main purpose of this step is to Strengthening the country's defence capability amid growing security risks in the region.

Arguments of the Polish side

The head of the parliamentary commission on national defence stressed that the experience of Russia's war against Ukraine demonstrated the effectiveness of minefields in deterring an offensive.

According to her, at the beginning of the invasion, Ukrainian forces used millions of anti-personnel mines in the border areas, which significantly slowed down the advance of Russian troops.

She also noted that in the event of a potential conflict, such mines could still appear on Polish territory, so the country should be prepared for such a scenario.

Regional context

Poland is not the only country in the region that is reconsidering its participation in the Ottawa Convention.

Earlier, it was finally left by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and at the beginning of 2026 Finland. This indicates a general tendency to reassess defence policy on Europe's eastern flank.

Possible consequences

Experts believe that withdrawal from the convention may trigger discussions in the international environment about the balance between humanitarian norms and national security needs.

At the same time, for the countries directly bordering Russia, the issue of Deterring potential aggression is becoming a key element of defence strategy.