President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree initiating Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of anti-personnel landmines, a Ukrainian lawmaker said Sunday, June 29.
Roman Kostenko, a member of parliament from the Holos (Voice) party, announced the move on social media, saying Zelensky’s decree enacts a decision by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to leave the treaty.
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“This is a step the reality of war has long demanded,” Kostenko wrote. “Russia is not a party to this Convention and uses landmines extensively against our military and civilians. We cannot remain bound by restrictions when the enemy faces none.”
Kostenko said he was informed of the decree’s signing but noted the document itself has not yet been made public. The final decision on withdrawal is expected to be debated in Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.
The Ottawa Convention, signed in 1997 by 164 countries, prohibits the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines. Signatories are also required to destroy existing stockpiles. Russia, the United States, China, India, and Pakistan are not parties to the treaty.
In recent months, several NATO countries bordering Russia and Belarus have reconsidered their participation in the treaty, citing rising security threats. Earlier this year, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Finland all voted to leave the convention, following recommendations from their defense ministries.
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Ukraine has not yet officially published its withdrawal, but Zelensky’s decree signals Kyiv may follow the same path.
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