Today, on 16 April 2025, the Saeima (Parliament of Latvia,
@Jekaba11) decided that Latvia will withdraw from the Ottawa Convention Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction.
This decision grants Latvia greater freedom of choice and operational flexibility in protecting its own borders, as well as the external borders of the EU and NATO, in a context where Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has significantly worsened the security situation in the region.
Latvia plans to coordinate its withdrawal from the Convention with Estonia and Lithuania. The withdrawal will take effect six months after the instrument of withdrawal is submitted to the UN Secretary-General, the UN Security Council, and the States Parties to the Convention.