4 nations bordering Russia to withdraw from land mine treaty
NATO members Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia said Tuesday they are abandoning the 1997 Ottawa convention treaty outlawing the use of anti-personnel landmines (APL) amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The Ottawa convention sought to outlaw APLs, which target humans in explosive blasts and have killed thousands of civilians. The treaty also notes that the minds can cause “unnecessary suffering or superfluous injury.”
“Military threats to NATO Member States bordering Russia and Belarus have significantly increased,” the four countries wrote in a statement.
“In light of this unstable security environment marked by Russia's aggression and its ongoing threat to the Euro-Atlantic community, it is essential to evaluate all measures to strengthen our deterrence and defense capabilities,” they added.
The four nations have expressed fears about Russian aggression since it invaded Ukraine in 2022. Three of the four were once part of the Soviet Union, while Poland was controlled by a Soviet-bloc government.
President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone for hours Tuesday working to secure a peace deal, which the White House has promised will come soon.
Poland, Lithuania and Estonia require approval from Parliament before their agreements to uphold the Ottawa convention can be retracted.
The United States, China, Russia, North Korea, Myanmar, India, Iran and Israel have not signed or ratified the treaty.
Topics
-
Poland, Baltic states recommend leaving land mine treaty, citing threat from Russia
Poland and the three Baltic nations say they want to withdraw from an international convention that bans antipersonnel land mines due to the growing threat from Russia to front-line NATO statesABC News - 11h -
Poland plans military training for every adult male amid growing European security fears
PM Donald Tusk says country needs army of 500,000 and backs withdrawal from treaty banning landmines. Ukraine war live: latest updates as Russia steps up attacks Poland’s prime minister, ...The Guardian - Mar. 8 -
Baltic states and Poland propose exit from anti-landmine agreement
Nato members say they need to defend ‘vulnerable eastern flank’ with Russia and BelarusFinancial Times - 12h -
Poland and Baltics to quit landmine treaty over Russia fears
Yahoo News - 9h -
Armenia and Azerbaijan agree treaty terms to end almost 40 years of conflict
Armenian and Azerbaijani officials said they had agreed on the text of a peace agreement to end nearly four decades of conflict between the two countries.NBC News - 4d -
Trump meets with NATO chief amid push for Russia-Ukraine ceasefire
President Trump sat down with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday as the U.S. pushes for a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. While Russian President Vladimir Putin backed a deal in ...CBS News - 4d -
Poland's president calls for U.S. to deploy nuclear weapons in his nation
Poland's President Duda called on the U.S. to deploy nuclear weapons to his nation as a deterrent to any possible attack by Russia.CBS News - 5d -
U.S. Said to Tell Canada That It Will Enforce a Visitor Registration Law
The United States had not been enforcing the rule for Canadians who entered via land borders. That is changing amid an escalating fight between the North American neighbors.The New York Times - Mar. 11 -
President Duda calls on US to place nuclear weapons in Poland
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda has again called on the United States to deploy nuclear weapons to Poland as a deterrent to RussiaABC News - 5d
More from The Hill
-
Democrat on Trump-Putin call: 'Russia remains the obstacle to peace'
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said it's clear that Russia "remains the obstacle to peace" following a highly anticipated phone call between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on ...The Hill - 44m -
Trump, Putin agree on limited ceasefire in Ukraine
PRESIDENT TRUMP and Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to make progress on a limited ceasefire agreement in Ukraine during a lengthy phone call on Tuesday that the White House says is the ...The Hill - 47m -
Kentucky lawmakers pass legislation removing conversion therapy restrictions
Kentucky lawmakers passed a measure Friday seeking to protect the controversial practice known as conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth, repealing an executive order from Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear ...The Hill - 1h -
Democrats ask Trump to remove Patel as acting ATF director
A group of Democrats are calling on President Trump to remove FBI Director Kash Patel as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Fourteen Democratic ...The Hill - 1h -
Democrats push back on plans to use military installations as migrant detention centers
Democratic lawmakers are pushing back against Trump administration plans to detain thousands of immigrants living in the country illegally at U.S. military sites. In a letter signed by nine ...The Hill - 1h
More in Politics
-
Democrat on Trump-Putin call: 'Russia remains the obstacle to peace'
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said it's clear that Russia "remains the obstacle to peace" following a highly anticipated phone call between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on ...The Hill - 44m -
Trump, Putin agree on limited ceasefire in Ukraine
PRESIDENT TRUMP and Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to make progress on a limited ceasefire agreement in Ukraine during a lengthy phone call on Tuesday that the White House says is the ...The Hill - 47m -
Kornacki: White men, white women and the gap within the gender gap
NBC News National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki digs into a NBC News poll that shows divisions along race and gender lines in how the American electorate views DEI initiatives and more.NBC News - 54m -
Kentucky lawmakers pass legislation removing conversion therapy restrictions
Kentucky lawmakers passed a measure Friday seeking to protect the controversial practice known as conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth, repealing an executive order from Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear ...The Hill - 1h -
Trump must understand Putin ‘respects strength’ during talks over Ukraine war: Fmr. Amb. to Russia
Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul discusses the call between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin and what talks could mean for the end of the war in Ukraine.NBC News - 1h