Lithuania has submitted to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres documents on the country’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, which proscribes the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines.
This was reported by LRT, referring to Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, Ukrinform saw.
“Today, Lithuania has formally notified the UN Secretary-General of its withdrawal from the Mine Ban Treaty. This decision was not taken lightly. Lithuania harbors no illusions: Putin’s Russia is the greatest long-term existential threat to Europe. It wages war to achieve political goals, undermines stability through sabotage, and is preparing for prolonged confrontation,” Budrys wrote on X.
In the face of such threats, Lithuania will take all necessary measures to defend its state, population and “every inch of NATO territory,” top diplomat wrote.
“Lithuania‘s commitment to responsible defence and International Humanitarian Law, including the protection of civilians, remains unwavering,” he stressed.
It is noted that the withdrawal from the convention will take effect six months after the relevant documents have been filed with the UN Secretary-General.
On Friday, Latvia and Estonia went for a similar move.
After the Lithuanian Parliament in May adopted a decision to denounce the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines, it was later signed off by the president.
The country’s Ministry of National Defense announced a regional decision to pull from the Anti-Personnel Mine Convention in early March. The Baltic States and Poland were the first to announce the move, with Finland soon following.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Polish Sejm recently voted for an exit from the Ottawa Convention.
Source: Lithuania tells UN of pulling from landmine ban treaty
