(ANSA-AFP) - VILNIUS, MAR 18 - The defence ministers of Poland and the three Baltic nations on Tuesday said that they recommended quitting the Ottawa treaty banning anti-personnel mines, amid growing concerns about security since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Military threats to NATO Member States bordering Russia and Belarus have significantly increased," the ministers said in a statement.
Last week the countries, along
with Finland, said they were "close" to an agreement on
withdrawing from the treaty, which has been signed by more than
160 countries and territories, including Ukraine, but not by the
United States or Russia. The treaty bans signatories from
acquiring, producing, stockpiling or using anti-personnel mines.
The authorities in Kyiv have accused Moscow of "genocidal
activities" for using anti-personnel mines during the conflict.
"In the current security environment it is paramount to provide
our defence forces flexibility and freedom of choice to
potentially use new weapons systems and solutions to bolster the
defence of the Alliance's vulnerable Eastern flank," the
ministers said. (ANSA-AFP).
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