Zelensky approves Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines
29 June 14:16
Ukraine has agreed to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention prohibiting the use of anti-personnel mines.
This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to MP Roman Kostenko.
According to Kostenko, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree enacting the decision of the National Security and Defense Council to withdraw Ukraine from the Ottawa Convention, an international agreement that prohibits the use, stockpiling, and production of anti-personnel mines.
“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. We cannot remain tied down when the enemy has no restrictions,” Kostenko said.
According to him, it is now the turn of the parliament – the Verkhovna Rada must legislatively approve this decision to finally return Ukraine’s right to fully defend its territory.
The document is currently not available on the website of the President’s Office.
The Convention was adopted on September 18, 1997 in Oslo and entered into force in 1999. To date, more than 160 countries have joined it, including most Western countries. Among the countries that have not acceded to the treaty are China, Russia, the United States, India, and Pakistan.
Ukraine signed the convention in February 1999 in New York, and the Verkhovna Rada ratified it on May 18, 2005. At the time of signing, Ukraine possessed the fifth largest stockpile of anti-personnel mines in the world, behind only China, Russia, the United States and Pakistan, countries that, like India, have not joined the treaty.
