Poland Plans 1,000,000 mines for borders with Belarus, Russia

The Polish government has decided to ramp up its production of landmines as part of a broader security strategy to protect its eastern borders with Russia and Belarus. This move comes after Poland, along with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, announced their intent to withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Mines Convention, known as the Ottawa Treaty. The decision underscores a shift in security policy amidst ongoing regional tensions, particularly given the strategic importance of the borders in question. The production of landmines is seen as a necessary measure to ensure national defense capabilities are robust against potential threats.

Polish Deputy Defence Minister Paweł Bejda has confirmed that the initiative to increase the domestic capacity for landmine production involves both private and state-owned defense industries in Poland. He emphasized the need for these mines, stating that the military requires between several hundred thousand to up to one million units. This significant number indicates Poland’s commitment to bolstering its defense infrastructure, highlighting the urgency the government places on modernizing and expanding its military deterrents amid growing regional instability.

The process of exiting the Ottawa Treaty will not be straightforward or immediate. Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz outlined that the withdrawal would involve multiple governmental layers, including the Cabinet, parliament, and the president, before finally notifying the United Nations. He noted that after all internal procedures are completed, the actual withdrawal might take around six months, suggesting a procedural requirement for stability and international notification in such significant policy shifts.

In parallel, other Baltic states like Latvia are also reevaluating their defense strategies. Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds has indicated that his country is open to all options to enhance its defense capabilities. He stressed that even with the current conflicts in Ukraine, Russia remains a significant threat, necessitating strong deterrence measures. Withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention is viewed as a viable option to resume the production of anti-personnel mines, reflecting a regional consensus on the need for effective defense measures against potential aggressions.

Four Eastern European countries, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, have expressed their intention to potentially exit the Ottawa Treaty, an international agreement that prohibits the use and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines. Their decision is driven by the heightened geopolitical tensions and the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which has led these nations to reassess their security strategies. The countries argue that under the current circumstances, it is critical to explore all possible means to enhance their defense capabilities against potential threats from Russia.

These NATO allies point out in their joint declaration that the persistent threat from Russia across their borders necessitates a recalibration of their defense and deterrence strategies. They highlight that while they had previously committed to the Ottawa Treaty, the drastic changes in security dynamics have forced them to reconsider the utility of landmines as a deterrent. This move reflects a broader trend where nations are reevaluating previous disarmament commitments in light of new strategic imperatives.

The Ottawa Treaty, formalized in September 1997, has significantly reduced the use of anti-personnel mines globally, with 165 countries as parties to the convention. However, both Russia and the United States remain outside this agreement. The four countries’ defense ministries argue that since the ratification of the treaty, the security environment in Europe has deteriorated markedly, with increased military threats specifically to NATO member states sharing borders with Russia and Belarus.

The decision by these defense ministers to recommend withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention is framed as a necessary step to ensure national security and the freedom of their citizens. By potentially reintroducing landmines into their defense strategies, these nations aim to signal a robust stance against any aggressive actions by neighboring states, particularly in response to the changing military dynamics in the region. This collective action underscores a significant shift in regional security policy influenced by contemporary geopolitical tensions.