Overview

• Lithuania's parliament voted unanimously on May 8 to withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa Convention, which bans the use, production, and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines.
• The withdrawal will take effect in six months, with Lithuania planning to resume domestic mine production and acquisition as part of its new defense strategy.
• This move follows similar decisions by Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Finland, signaling a coordinated regional shift in defense policies on NATO's eastern flank.
• The decision comes amid heightened concerns over Russian aggression, with Baltic and Eastern European nations emphasizing the need for stronger deterrence measures.
• Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have criticized the decision, warning of the long-term risks anti-personnel mines pose to civilian populations and post-conflict recovery.