Lithuania has officially withdrawn from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines, as well as their destruction, APA reports, citing the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense.
According to the ministry's statement, on December 27, the required procedures for withdrawal from the convention were completed.
Leaving the convention allows Lithuania to use, store, and produce this type of ordnance. Earlier, Deputy Minister of Defense Karolis Aleksa stated that following the withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, Lithuania plans to produce anti-personnel mines from 2026 onwards, together with Finland, for its own needs as well as for transfer to Ukraine.
It is reported that hundreds of millions of euros are allocated for this purpose. In addition, partner countries also plan to produce anti-tank mines.
