**Finland Ditches Landmine Treaty Amid Rising Tensions with Russia**
In a move that has sent shockwaves across the international community, Finland’s parliament has voted to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines. The decision was made on June 19, citing growing security concerns stemming from Russia’s aggressive posture and the threat it poses to the region.
**Security Concerns Reach a Boiling Point**
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb defended the decision earlier this week, stating that the security reality along Finland’s border with Russia had changed dramatically since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He emphasized that Russia, which is not a member of the Ottawa Treaty and has widely deployed landmines across Ukrainian territory, poses a significant threat to Finland’s security.
“We have as our neighboring country an aggressive, imperialist state called Russia,” Stubb said, adding that the country “uses landmines ruthlessly.” This stark warning comes as Western governments and human rights organizations continue to condemn Russia’s use of landmines in Ukraine.
**Finland Ramps Up Defense Posture**
Finland has significantly increased its defense posture amid growing concern over potential Russian provocations. The country joined NATO in 2023 and has since closed its border with Russia, accusing Moscow of orchestrating a “hybrid operation” by directing asylum seekers toward Finnish territory. Helsinki claims that such hybrid tactics have intensified since it joined the alliance.
The Finnish Border Guard has completed the first 35 kilometers (22 miles) of a planned 200-kilometer (124-mile) fence along its eastern frontier, amid growing evidence of Russian military infrastructure expansion near the border. Finland’s Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen stated that the country is “closely monitoring and assessing Russia’s activities and intentions,” emphasizing that Finland holds a strong security position as a member of NATO.
**A New Era of Geopolitical Tensions**
The decision by Finland to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention has set off alarm bells across Europe, where tensions between Russia and Western powers continue to escalate. In December 2024, Russia’s Defense Minister Andrei Belousov warned that Moscow must be ready for a potential conflict with NATO within the next decade.
Western officials have repeatedly warned of the possibility that Moscow could target NATO members in the coming years. The withdrawal from the landmine treaty by Finland has sparked concerns about the country’s growing isolation and the potential for further military escalation in the region.
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