Camilla Jessen
Five NATO member states have withdrawn from the Ottawa Treaty.
Finland and Lithuania plan to begin domestic production of anti-personnel mines next year to supply their own armed forces and support Ukraine.
Officials from both NATO countries confirmed the plans in statements reported by Reuters and TVPWorld.
Both governments have announced their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of anti-personnel mines.
A Return to Old Weapons
The six-month withdrawal period required by the Ottawa Convention means that Finland and Lithuania could legally start mine production by early next year.
Lithuania’s Deputy Defense Minister Karolis Aleksa made clear that this is a strategic investment in deterrence.
“We will spend hundreds of millions of euros on anti-tank mines, but also on anti-personnel mines. It will be a significant amount,” said Aleksa.
Tens of thousands of mines are expected to be produced, potentially more, with Lithuanian firms already preparing to meet demand.
According to Vincas Jurgutis, head of the Lithuanian Defense Industry Association, production is intended not only for national defense, but also to supply Ukraine, which itself recently announced its own exit from the treaty.
Finland, which has NATO’s longest border with Russia — 1,340 kilometers — sees domestic production as a matter of national security and supply resilience.
“It is a highly effective and very cost-effective weapon system,” said Heikki Autto, chairman of Finland’s parliamentary defense committee. “It is not only our right and duty to support Ukraine, but it is also important for Finland’s own security.”
Before joining the Ottawa Treaty in 2011, Finland held over a million anti-personnel mines.
Today, companies such as Nammo Lapua, Insta, Raikka, and Forcit Explosives are reportedly preparing to take part in renewed manufacturing efforts.
Wider Ripple Effect in the Region
The shift by Finland and Lithuania may not be isolated.
Poland, Latvia, and Estonia are also pulling out of the Ottawa Convention, though they have yet to confirm concrete plans for mine production.
A spokesperson from Latvia’s Ministry of Defense said the country’s metallurgical and defense industries are equipped to ramp up production if needed.
Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur called it “a fallback option.”
Polish state defense company PGZ SA told Reuters it would be ready to produce millions of mines if required.
Meanwhile, private firm ZSP Niewiadów is preparing to resume full-scale mine production by 2027, backed by new investments in facilities.
In Poland, a government source said designated areas along the eastern border have already been marked for potential mining in the event of war, placed between lines of reinforced concrete tank traps.
Focus on Deterrence
All five countries emphasize that mine production is strictly for defensive purposes and that no minefields will be created in peacetime.
Mines will be stored, not deployed, allowing for rapid use in emergencies.
Officials have also pledged that any future minefields would be clearly marked and mapped to enable post-conflict clearance, in line with humanitarian standards.
Russian Reaction
Russia, which is not a party to the Ottawa Treaty, has long used landmines as part of its battlefield strategy in Ukraine.
Moscow’s response to Finland’s decision was pointed.
Its ambassador to Helsinki warned that the move would “only create risks for the inhabitants of Finland,” given that the mines would be placed on its own territory.
