Lithuania withdrew, Latvia withdrew, Estonia withdrew, Poland and Finland withdrew too, and the countries that followed Russia suddenly took a massive collective move, promising to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention.
The mine, the weapon that was thought to be being gradually cleaned out of the world, is now back.
In eastern Europe, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Finland are preparing to join forces to do a big thing, collectively withdrawing from the 27-year-old Ottawa Mine Ban Convention.
The 1997 Convention, which aims to ban and destroy human-killing mines worldwide, has been signed by 164 countries.
Although large countries such as China and the United States of Russia have not joined, it is the first time that the entire group of countries is preparing to publicly "retire" from the group.
The news is controversial.
Proponents believe this is absolutely necessary for self-preservation. They said that in the face of an unpredictable neighbor like Russia, there is no upper limit on national defense preparations. Otherwise, Ukraine's today will be its own tomorrow.
Opposition voices are sharp, believing that this is not only blatantly undermining global efforts to ban mines, but also fueling the already tense border situation.
But the decisions of these five countries did not come in vain, behind them was the fear of war.
The outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in 2022 gave them a cruel real-life education lesson.They clearly saw how fast the advancement of the modern army could be, and how easily the static border on the map could have been swept by tanks.
They suddenly discovered that although their allies 'promises were reliable, they were still far away, while their neighbors' armored troops were close at hand.
NATO's collective defense clause is the ultimate guarantee, but everyone has a account in their hearts, from the outbreak of conflict, to the allies to make decisions, gather, return to the frontline, this time hasn't been filled?
So they can only look inside, on their own. Mines, it becomes the most direct and realistic option. Because it is deployed quickly, the cost is relatively low, but can actually slow the ground forces of the attack rhythm, fight for themselves the most precious response time.
The rumors of the five countries launching legal withdrawal procedures have just been heard, and military preparations have been spread.
Poland has already launched the "Eastern Barrier" plan, intending to cover a large area of anti-tank mine fields in the open area of its border with Belarus, while the three Baltic countries plan to work on key coastlines and land transport routes.
Finland, facing a long border of more than 1300 kilometers, regards mines as a key link in filling national defense loopholes.
Apparently a new line of defense consisting of barbed wire, concrete fortifications and deadly minefields is slowly closing on the eastern gate of Europe.
But everyone knows the cost of this choice. Landmines have no recognition ability. They cannot distinguish between soldiers 'military boots and children's sneakers. The war may end, but the mines buried in the ground will wait and will not fail for decades.
The civilians who are still bombed in Cambodia and Angola today, many of whom are children, are the victims of the war decades ago.
Ukraine is an even more bloody example, with large fields deserted because they are filled with mines, and farmers running their tractors down the ground, as if they were playing a life-and-death game.
In order to protect the people of today, they have buried endless calamities for future generations.They have obviously made a choice between real survival needs and long-term humanitarianism.
The deeper impact is that their actions are tantamount to pressing the start button on a dangerous switch. Once a country takes the lead in breaking the rules, the arms control system that the international community has worked hard to build over the past decades may have the first crack, then the second and third cracks, and until it collapses.
When trust and rules are eroded, the rest is suspicion and force.A more tense, everybody’s self-risked world may not be a distant imagination.
For this sense of security in the present, how much will it cost in the future? This issue hangs over eastern Europe and hangs in everyone's mind.
Source: “Estonia, Lithuania announced the withdrawal!”, Global Times, June 29, 2025.
The mine, the weapon that was thought to be being gradually cleaned out of the world, is now back.
In eastern Europe, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Finland are preparing to join forces to do a big thing, collectively withdrawing from the 27-year-old Ottawa Mine Ban Convention.
The 1997 Convention, which aims to ban and destroy human-killing mines worldwide, has been signed by 164 countries.
Although large countries such as China and the United States of Russia have not joined, it is the first time that the entire group of countries is preparing to publicly "retire" from the group.
The news is controversial.
Proponents believe this is absolutely necessary for self-preservation. They said that in the face of an unpredictable neighbor like Russia, there is no upper limit on national defense preparations. Otherwise, Ukraine's today will be its own tomorrow.
Opposition voices are sharp, believing that this is not only blatantly undermining global efforts to ban mines, but also fueling the already tense border situation.
But the decisions of these five countries did not come in vain, behind them was the fear of war.
The outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in 2022 gave them a cruel real-life education lesson.They clearly saw how fast the advancement of the modern army could be, and how easily the static border on the map could have been swept by tanks.
They suddenly discovered that although their allies 'promises were reliable, they were still far away, while their neighbors' armored troops were close at hand.
NATO's collective defense clause is the ultimate guarantee, but everyone has a account in their hearts, from the outbreak of conflict, to the allies to make decisions, gather, return to the frontline, this time hasn't been filled?
So they can only look inside, on their own. Mines, it becomes the most direct and realistic option. Because it is deployed quickly, the cost is relatively low, but can actually slow the ground forces of the attack rhythm, fight for themselves the most precious response time.
The rumors of the five countries launching legal withdrawal procedures have just been heard, and military preparations have been spread.
Poland has already launched the "Eastern Barrier" plan, intending to cover a large area of anti-tank mine fields in the open area of its border with Belarus, while the three Baltic countries plan to work on key coastlines and land transport routes.
Finland, facing a long border of more than 1300 kilometers, regards mines as a key link in filling national defense loopholes.
Apparently a new line of defense consisting of barbed wire, concrete fortifications and deadly minefields is slowly closing on the eastern gate of Europe.
But everyone knows the cost of this choice. Landmines have no recognition ability. They cannot distinguish between soldiers 'military boots and children's sneakers. The war may end, but the mines buried in the ground will wait and will not fail for decades.
The civilians who are still bombed in Cambodia and Angola today, many of whom are children, are the victims of the war decades ago.
Ukraine is an even more bloody example, with large fields deserted because they are filled with mines, and farmers running their tractors down the ground, as if they were playing a life-and-death game.
In order to protect the people of today, they have buried endless calamities for future generations.They have obviously made a choice between real survival needs and long-term humanitarianism.
The deeper impact is that their actions are tantamount to pressing the start button on a dangerous switch. Once a country takes the lead in breaking the rules, the arms control system that the international community has worked hard to build over the past decades may have the first crack, then the second and third cracks, and until it collapses.
When trust and rules are eroded, the rest is suspicion and force.A more tense, everybody’s self-risked world may not be a distant imagination.
For this sense of security in the present, how much will it cost in the future? This issue hangs over eastern Europe and hangs in everyone's mind.
Source: “Estonia, Lithuania announced the withdrawal!”, Global Times, June 29, 2025.