Lithuania's parliament approves exit from landmines treaty amid Russia threat

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — a U.S. Marine primes a claymore charge during a demolition exercise at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, October 8, 2024. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Juan Maldonado via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)

By Andrius Sytas

VILNIUS - The Lithuanian parliament on Thursday voted in favour of withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention that bans the use of anti-personnel landmines amid concerns over the military threat posed by neighbouring Russia.

All five European Union and NATO countries which border Russia – Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Finland - have said they plan to exit the international treaty due to the military threat from their much larger neighbour.

The Lithuanian vote follows the one in Latvia, where the parliament in April approved the withdrawal.

After withdrawing from the treaty, the countries would be able to stockpile and lay landmines six months after informing other treaty members and the United Nations of their decision.

None of the five countries have done so yet.

Russia is not a member of the Ottawa Convention and has used landmines in its invasion of Ukraine.

 (Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius, editing by Louise Rasmussen and Terje Solsvik)