Overview

• Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have officially submitted their withdrawal notices to the UN Secretary-General, triggering a six-month countdown before exits take effect.
• Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree to enact the National Security and Defense Council’s decision to withdraw, pending parliamentary ratification to advance its exit.
• Poland and Finland have advanced domestic procedures for withdrawal, reflecting a coordinated regional shift among Eastern European NATO members.
• The countries cite Russia’s non-signatory status and mass use of anti-personnel mines since 2014 as creating an asymmetric advantage that undermines their defense.
• Under the Ottawa Convention, withdrawals become effective six months after formal notification, and signatories pledge to continue humanitarian demining efforts.