On the evening of July 10th, local time, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement announcing that it has formally submitted its withdrawal from the Ottawa Mine Ban Convention, effective from January 2026. Finland will continue to support the convention’s humanitarian objectives.
The statement mentioned that the decision to withdraw from the convention was based on Finnish national defense needs in an increasingly dangerous security environment. Withdrawing from the convention would allow Finland to reintroduce lethal landmines into its existing defensive capabilities.
Finland has already notified all other signatories to the convention, the Convention Registry (i.e., the United Nations Secretary-General), and the United Nations Security Council of its withdrawal. The withdrawal is scheduled to take effect six months after the registry receives the withdrawal document, which is January 2026.
The statement also stated that the withdrawal from the convention would not affect Finland’s other obligations under international law (including international humanitarian law) and that Finland will continue to comply with these obligations. Finland will continue to support the convention’s humanitarian objectives and humanitarian mine clearance operations.
In June 2025, the Finnish Parliament passed a resolution overwhelmingly, with 157 votes in favor and 18 against, to withdraw from the Ottawa Mine Ban Convention.
The Ottawa Mine Ban Convention officially came into effect in 1999, prohibiting the use, storage, production, and transfer of lethal weapons of mass destruction. (CCTV Kang Yubin)