Poland Leaves Global Mine Ban Treaty, Prepares to Fortify Eastern Border in Bold Security Shift
Warsaw, Poland — Poland has officially withdrawn from the 1997 Ottawa Convention, the international treaty that bans the use, manufacture and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines, setting the stage for a significant shift in its defence policy amid heightened tensions with Russia and neighbouring Belarus. The move could see Warsaw deploying landmines along its eastern frontier within days if deemed necessary — a dramatic change in Europe’s security landscape that reflects the continent’s most serious security crisis in decades.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on February 19, 2026 that Poland’s six-month withdrawal process — begun in August 2025 — will conclude on February 20, formally ending the country’s obligations under the Ottawa Convention. As a result, Warsaw says it will regain the legal authority both to produce and to lay anti-personnel mines on Polish territory as part of its broader defensive strategy against potential aggression from the east.
“Our withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention is a necessary step for Poland’s national security,” Tusk said, noting that the country could lay mines along its eastern border with Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave within 48 hours if the threat environment demands it. The timeline underscores the urgency with which Polish officials view the current security situation.
The ‘Eastern Shield’ Strategy
The renewed focus on landmine capability sits within Poland’s larger “Eastern Shield” programme — a sweeping initiative aimed at strengthening its long frontier against what government officials describe as growing military threats from Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and increasingly aggressive posture toward NATO members. Under this plan, fortifications, anti-drone systems and other defensive infrastructure have been under construction for months, reinforcing Warsaw’s commitment to deterring aggression without resorting to offensive actions that could escalate conflicts.
The Eastern Shield represents the most significant military infrastructure investment on NATO’s eastern flank since the end of the Cold War, designed to create layered defences that can slow any potential advance and buy time for allied reinforcements. Landmines form a critical component of this strategy, capable of channeling enemy forces into kill zones and creating obstacles that complicate rapid armoured thrusts.
Deputy Defence Minister Paweł Zalewski has indicated that Poland will resume production of anti-personnel mines for the first time since the Cold War, using domestic manufacturers to supply stockpiles for national defence and potentially allies if capacity allows. Earlier reports suggest that this could involve millions of mines, with some Polish defence firms preparing to scale up production substantially to meet both national requirements and potential allied requests.
“The mine project is crucial for our security,” Tusk said, stressing that despite the controversial nature of these weapons, their availability will be a deterrent and a tool of last resort should tensions escalate. He and other officials insist that the mines will only be laid if there is a clear and credible threat — not as an automatically enacted measure — and that their use would be carefully calibrated to minimise long-term risks.
Why the Treaty Exit?
Poland’s decision follows similar moves by several of its neighbours and NATO partners. Over the last year, countries including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland have also exited the Ottawa Convention, with the Baltic states and Warsaw jointly citing “a fundamentally changed security environment” as justification for abandoning commitments made in a different era. These countries argue that an international treaty conceived in the 1990s, when Europe seemed to be moving toward permanent peace, no longer addresses the complex defence needs posed by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and continued geopolitical assertiveness.
The coordinated nature of these withdrawals suggests a regional consensus that traditional arms control frameworks may need reassessment in light of current threats. For Poland and its neighbours, the experience of watching Russia’s war in Ukraine has fundamentally altered calculations about what deterrence requires.
The Ottawa Treaty, formally known as the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, was once hailed as a major humanitarian achievement, with more than 160 signatories committed to eliminating landmines that have caused long-lasting civilian harm in conflict zones around the world. The treaty reflected post-Cold War optimism about the possibility of limiting warfare’s impact on civilians.
Critics note that mines can remain deadly for decades, increasing the risk to local populations long after hostilities have ended. Countries like Cambodia, Angola, and Bosnia continue to deal with mine contamination from conflicts that ended years ago, with civilians — including children — still falling victim to these hidden weapons.
However, Russia, the United States, China and several other countries never ratified the treaty, arguing that landmines have legitimate defensive applications — a position now echoed by Poland and other European states facing security dilemmas on NATO’s eastern flank. The United States, under various administrations, has maintained the right to use mines in certain circumstances while also pursuing alternatives.
Controversy and Regional Impact
Poland’s decision has sparked debate both domestically and internationally, highlighting tensions between security requirements and humanitarian concerns. Human rights organisations and former treaty advocates have sharply criticised the choice to re-legalise landmine use, warning of the humanitarian risks and long-term consequences for civilian populations in border areas where agriculture and daily life could be affected for generations.
Human Rights Watch and other monitoring groups have expressed alarm at the trend, noting that the spread of landmine use in Europe could reverse decades of progress in banning these weapons. Mines, once buried, can be difficult to remove safely and have historically inflicted harm on farmers, children and returnees long after wars conclude, creating a legacy of suffering that outlasts the conflicts they were meant to address.
Nevertheless, Polish leaders maintain that their primary concern is deterrence and defending national territory against a neighbour that they view as unpredictable and potentially aggressive. The government has stressed that any deployment would be defensive and calibrated to the security situation, not an offensive measure, and that records of minefields would be carefully maintained to facilitate eventual clearance.
Reactions and Broader European Context
Within the European Union and NATO, reactions are mixed, reflecting different threat perceptions and strategic cultures. Some nations aligned with Poland’s security assessment, arguing that treaty constraints could hamper effective deterrence against a Russia that shows no regard for international norms. Countries farther from the Russian border, with different threat calculations, express concern about eroding humanitarian standards.
In diplomatic circles, Warsaw is emphasising that its exit from the treaty is a sober response to contemporary threats and part of broader regional defence cooperation, not a rejection of humanitarian values. Polish officials point to Russia’s use of mines in Ukraine as evidence that adversaries will not be constrained by treaties their victims observe.
Poland’s shift reflects a broader reassessment among Eastern European states of traditional arms control agreements that were negotiated in a fundamentally different geopolitical context. While global disarmament frameworks remain a priority for many Western countries, Warsaw’s move highlights how changing threat perceptions can lead governments to revisit decades-old commitments in favour of perceived national security needs.
The Military Logic
From a military perspective, landmines offer significant defensive advantages. They can slow advancing forces, channel them into areas where they can be engaged effectively, and complicate logistics and manoeuvre. In terrain like Poland’s eastern border, where open landscapes offer few natural obstacles, mines can create the kind of defensive depth that allows outnumbered forces to hold against larger attackers.
Modern mines are often designed with self-destruct or self-deactivation features that reduce long-term risks, though humanitarian advocates argue that these mechanisms are not always reliable. Poland has indicated it would use such technologically advanced mines rather than older, persistent varieties.
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Strategic Implications
As Poland transitions out of the Ottawa Convention and prepares the Eastern Shield infrastructure, the decision is likely to influence debates on defence policy throughout Europe. For Warsaw, the ability to lay mines rapidly — legally and domestically — is positioned as an essential strategic option in an era of increased uncertainty on NATO’s eastern flanks.
The move also sends a signal to Moscow about Poland’s determination to defend every inch of its territory. In the calculus of deterrence, demonstrating the political will to use all available means of defence may be as important as the military capabilities themselves.
For NATO allies, Poland’s shift raises questions about alliance-wide standards and interoperability. While mine warfare is ultimately a national decision, its implications for collective defence require discussion and coordination.
For humanitarian advocates, the decision represents a setback in the decades-long campaign to eliminate weapons that kill indiscriminately and long after conflicts end. They will watch closely how Poland implements its new policy and whether safeguards against civilian harm prove effective.
Poland leaves treaty. Mines may return to Europe’s border. Security and humanity weigh in the balance.
