The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained why Ukraine withdrew from the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines.

Ukraine decided to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention due to Russia's aggression. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine believes that the convention complicates the possibility of protecting the country in connection with Russia's use of anti-personnel mines in the war.

Since 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of our state, the mass use of such means has created an asymmetric advantage for the aggressor

When signing and ratifying the convention, the situation with Russia's aggression was not taken into account, which made the protection of the country more complicated. Therefore, Ukraine, as well as other countries of the European Union, decided to withdraw from this convention to ensure its defense capability.

The history of the Ottawa Convention began in 1999 when Ukraine signed this document to end the use of anti-personnel mines. However, the situation with Russia's aggression forced our country and Poland to withdraw from this convention to ensure national security and sovereignty.

Ukraine's withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention is an important step towards ensuring the country's defense capability in the context of Russian aggression. The situation in eastern Ukraine requires new approaches to protecting national security.