Ukraine and several Baltic and Nordic states are withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines, citing security threats from Russia.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree initiating the country’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the production and use of anti-personnel mines, according to an announcement on the presidential website on Sunday.
Ukraine ratified the convention in 2005. The decree states: "Support the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to withdraw Ukraine from the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction of September 18, 1997."
Roman Kostenko, secretary of the Ukrainian parliament's committee on national security, defence and intelligence, said parliamentary approval is still required to finalise the withdrawal.
"This is a step that the reality of war has long demanded. Russia is not a party to this Convention and is massively using mines against our military and civilians," Kostenko wrote on Facebook.
"We cannot remain tied down in an environment where the enemy has no restrictions," he added, stressing that Ukraine’s legislative decision would restore its right to effectively defend its territory.
Meanwhile, Lithuania has formally notified the United Nations of its decision to leave the treaty, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on X on Friday. Under treaty rules, Lithuania will no longer be bound by the convention six months after notification.
Parliaments of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Poland – all NATO and EU members bordering Russia – have approved their countries’ withdrawal from the treaty, citing the increased military danger posed by their neighbour.
Russia has intensified its offensive operations in Ukraine in recent months, leveraging significant superiority in manpower.
Kostenko did not specify when the Ukrainian parliament would debate the withdrawal.
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Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy system early on Saturday (7 February), hitting power generation and distribution facilities with more than 400 drones and around 40 missiles, Ukrainian officials have said.
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U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised American freestyle skier Hunter Hess after the athlete said he felt conflicted about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics in Italy, sparking a public clash that highlights growing political tensions surrounding the Games.
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U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery in an Italian hospital on Sunday after her attempt to win Olympic downhill gold ended in a violent crash just seconds into the race at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
A Japanese city near Mount Fuji has cancelled its annual cherry blossom festival, saying growing numbers of badly behaved tourists are disrupting daily life for residents.
Several avalanches struck northern Italy on Saturday, killing at least three people, as rescue officials warned the death toll could rise with unstable conditions persisting across the Alps.
Hong Kong’s most prominent media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced on Monday (9 February) to a total of 20 years in prison on national security charges. The verdict covers two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count related to publishing seditious materials.
Russian overnight drone attacks killed at least three people in Ukraine’s east and south on Monday (9 February), with officials reporting casualties in the Kharkiv, Odesa and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Sunday (8 February) he was in favour of banning the use of social media by children under 15 of age, as a growing number of European countries consider similar restrictions.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 9th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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