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Finnish parliament votes to exit landmines treaty due to Russia threat
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 19, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Quick Summary
Finland exits the landmine treaty due to Russian threats, aligning with other EU nations. The decision aims to enhance national defense.
Finland's Parliament Votes to Withdraw from Landmine Treaty Amid Russian Threat
HELSINKI (Reuters) -Finland's parliament voted on Thursday in favour of withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention that bans the use of anti-personnel landmines amid concerns over a military threat posed by neighbouring Russia.
Finland joins other European Union and NATO members bordering Russia - Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland - in leaving or planning to leave the treaty, as fears grow about their much larger neighbour.
President Alexander Stubb, who leads Finland's foreign and security policy, has defended the move.
"The reality in the endgame is that we have as our neighbouring country an aggressive, imperialist state called Russia, which itself is not a member of the Ottawa Treaty and which itself uses landmines ruthlessly," he said.
Russia has used landmines in its invasion of Ukraine.
The Finnish decision follows similar votes in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, where parliaments have approved the withdrawal.
Finland, which guards NATO's longest border with Russia, will be able to start stockpiling landmines six months after formally notifying other treaty members and the United Nations of its resignation.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday launched a new effort to "uphold the norms of humanitarian disarmament", urging all states to adhere to existing treaties and immediately halt any steps towards their withdrawal.
"I am gravely concerned by recent announcements and steps taken by several Member States to withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention," he said in a statement.
In response to Guterres' concerns, Finland's Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said the aim of the withdrawal was to protect civilians and minimise the loss of human lives.
"I believe that our government and parliament have a duty to take measures that reduce Finland's risk of being attacked," the minister said on social media X.
"Protection against the Russian threat takes priority," he added.
Parliament on Thursday also agreed to permit land mine exports under usual arms sale control procedures.
(Reporting by Anne Kauranen, editing by Anna Ringstrom and Ed Osmond)
Key Takeaways
- •Finland's parliament votes to exit the Ottawa Convention.
- •The decision is driven by security concerns from Russia.
- •Finland joins other EU nations in leaving the treaty.
- •President Stubb supports the move for national defense.
- •UN urges adherence to humanitarian disarmament norms.
Frequently Asked Questions about Finnish parliament votes to exit landmines treaty due to Russia threat
1Why did Finland decide to withdraw from the landmine treaty?
Finland's parliament voted to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention due to concerns over a military threat posed by Russia, which is not a member of the treaty and has used landmines in its invasion of Ukraine.
2What are the implications of Finland's withdrawal?
Following its withdrawal, Finland will be able to start stockpiling landmines six months after notifying other treaty members and the United Nations, which raises concerns about regional security.
3How have other countries responded to similar treaty withdrawals?
Finland joins Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in withdrawing from the treaty, reflecting a broader trend among EU and NATO members bordering Russia amid increasing security fears.
4What did the UN Secretary General say about the withdrawals?
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern over the announcements and steps taken by several member states to withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.
5What is Finland's stance on protecting its civilians?
Finland's Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen stated that the aim of the withdrawal is to protect civilians and minimize the loss of human lives, emphasizing the priority of protection against the Russian threat.
