Seimas denounces the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction

Press release, 8 May 2025

The Seimas has decided to denounce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, signed in Oslo on 18 September 1997. A total of 107 Members of the Seimas voted in favour of the law (draft No XVP-305(2)) with three abstentions.

As the initiators of the legislative initiative point out, it is appropriate to denounce the Convention because the security situation in our region has substantially deteriorated and military threats against Lithuania and other NATO member countries bordering Russia and Belarus have increased significantly. 

‘By agreeing to withdraw from the Convention, we will also add this element to our military arsenal. We do this so that, knowing that we have such capabilities, opponents will think twice before deciding to act against us. I strongly encourage you to vote for the proposal and reinforce our defence and deterrence,’ said Ruslanas Baranovas, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, during the Seimas sitting.

Dovilė Šakalienė, Minister of National Defence, has previously argued that this decision would help Lithuania to ensure greater efficiency on the battlefield.

Remigijus Motuzas, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, pointed out that this position was shared by other countries. ‘All states bordering the territory of Russia have de-ratified this Convention or are in the process of doing so. The threat is real, and there is no doubt that, in the event of possible aggression, Russia or Belarus would heavily mine these territories,’ Mr Motuzas stressed.

A number of countries are currently considering withdrawing from the Convention. ‘This is exemplified by the joint statement of the Ministers of Defence of Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Lithuania of 18 March 2025 calling for withdrawal from the Convention, as well as the statement of the President and the Government of Finland of 1 April 2025 launching the procedures for withdrawal from the Convention. Thus, all the states bordering Russia (with the exception of Norway) intend to withdraw from the Convention, which demonstrates the shared understanding of regional threats and readiness of the countries involved to use all the necessary means to defend their territory and freedom,’ the explanatory note to the document stresses.

The Convention stipulates that withdrawal shall take effect after six months have elapsed from the date on which the instrument of withdrawal is served on the Secretary-General of the United Nations. However, should the withdrawing state be involved in an armed conflict within the time of the six-month deadline, the withdrawal would not take effect until the end of the armed conflict.

Lithuania has been a party to this Convention since 2003.

Rimas Rudaitis, Adviser, Press Office, Information and Communication Department, tel. +370 5 209 6132, e-mail: [email protected]