Poland votes to withdraw from Ottawa Convention, strengthening its defense posture
A historic vote was held in the Polish parliament: 413 deputies supported the decision to withdraw from the international treaty that bans the use, production and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines. Only 15 deputies voted against, and three more abstained. This decision was a significant step in strengthening the country's defense strategy and responding to modern security challenges in the region. Before the vote, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Wladyslaw Kosińska-Kamyśl stressed that this step is necessary to ensure Poland's security, and also expressed confidence that withdrawing from the treaty will allow the country to better defend itself against possible threats. The statement sparked widespread discussion in society and among international partners. According to sources, this initiative is part of a larger strategy to strengthen the defense of the region, especially against the backdrop of growing Russian military activity in neighboring countries. According to Kosiniak-Kamisz, Poland cannot and should not be limited by international agreements that reduce its ability to defend itself. The Ottawa Convention, which Poland has now decided to leave, was signed in 1997 in Norway and entered into force in 1999. It brought together more than 160 countries around the world, mostly Western states, which pledged to stop the production, use and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines for the purpose of humanitarian security. However, against the backdrop of growing geopolitical risks and tensions in the region, countries such as Poland, the Baltic states and Finland see withdrawing from the treaty as a necessary step to strengthen their defense capabilities. In particular, Latvia already signed a law on withdrawal from the treaty back in April, and Lithuania officially denounced it in May. At the same time, countries such as Norway emphasize that maintaining participation in the convention is important for international stability, and declare the sufficiency of their modern weapons systems to confront potential threats. Finland, meanwhile, passed a vote in parliament and also announced its intention to withdraw from the agreement - the decision was supported by a majority. Overall, the decision of Poland and the other Baltic countries and Finland emphasizes the growing trend of rethinking old agreements in the light of modern security challenges. Moreover, this step is a bright signal for the international community to change approaches to regional defense in the context of new geopolitical realities. Now the question of further retention or withdrawal from such agreements will become the subject of active discussions in global security policy.