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Fully screen shapes of landmines. Poland and the Baltic countries now want to withdraw from the treaty that prohibits the use. Archive Image Photo: Petros Karadjias/AP/TT
Poland and the Baltic countries have announced that they plan to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty that prohibits the use of land mines, also called personal and tramp mines.
The four EU and NATO countries say in a joint statement that since they signed the agreement, the threat from Russia has increased significantly. Over 160 countries have signed the Treaty, but not the US and Russia.
Poland’s Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz says it is “a very strong political position that shows how the decisions we are to defend our home countries”.
In early December, the Christian Democrats and the Swedish Democrats opened to reintroduce land mines in the Swedish defense. The Moderates, on the other hand, have rejected the idea and say they stand behind the Ottawa Treaty.