VILNIUS, March 18, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The defence ministers of Poland and the three Baltic nations on Tuesday said that they recommended quitting the Ottawa treaty banning anti-personnel mines, amid growing concerns about security since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"Military threats to NATO Member States bordering Russia and Belarus have significantly increased," the ministers said in a statement. 

Last week the countries, along with Finland, said they were "close" to an agreement on withdrawing from the treaty, which has been signed by more than 160 countries and territories, including Ukraine, but not by the United States or Russia.

The treaty bans signatories from acquiring, producing, stockpiling or using anti-personnel mines.

The authorities in Kyiv have accused Moscow of "genocidal activities" for using anti-personnel mines during the conflict.

"In the current security environment it is paramount to provide our defence forces flexibility and freedom of choice to potentially use new weapons systems and solutions to bolster the defence of the Alliance's vulnerable Eastern flank," the ministers said.

Estonia's Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said in the statement that "We currently have no plans to develop, stockpile, or use previously banned anti-personnel landmines".

"Estonia and our regional allies remain committed to upholding international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians, even after withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention," he added.