Finland Will Pull Out of Global Landmine Treaty

Finland on Tuesday announced it will pull out of a global landmine treaty—a move made "as Russia fears grow," reports Politico. Politico reports the 1997 Ottawa Convention "has come under increasing pressure because of the Kremlin's war on Ukraine, especially in countries neighboring Russia." Finland counts itself in that group: It shares an 830-mile border with Russia—the longest of any NATO country, per Defense News—and exiting the treaty would allow it to use landmines along that border. Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia in March expressed that they intend to do the same. More:

• CNN reports Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told reporters that while Russia posed no immediate threat to Finland, it more broadly poses a long-term threat to the continent.
• "Finland will prepare for the withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention," President Alexander Stubb wrote on X. "The decision is based on a thorough assessment by the relevant ministries and the Defense Forces. Finland is committed to its international obligations on the responsible use of mines," he added.
• Stubb also plans to ramp up the country's percent of GDP spent on defense to 3% by 2029; the figure was 2.4% last year.
• Defense News reports Russia has heavily used anti-personnel mines in Ukraine, with the UN asserting Ukraine was the most mined country in the world last year.

(More Finland stories.)