Finland Leaves Ottawa Treaty, Becoming Fifth European Country to Do So

Helsinki, Finland - In a historic decision, Finland's Parliament has approved the country's withdrawal from the Ottawa Treaty, which bans anti-personnel land mines. The move marks a significant shift in Finland's stance on the international agreement, with 157 MPs voting in favor and 18 against.

The Ottawa Treaty, signed in 1997, has been widely adopted by European countries as a cornerstone of humanitarian law. However, Finland has decided to leave the treaty, citing security concerns related to Russia's actions, particularly in the wake of the Ukraine crisis.

According to sources close to the matter, Finland's Deputy Minister for Defense, Johan Kvarnstrom, had previously stated that he would not support bringing back anti-personnel mines, citing the country's rugged terrain and potential defense needs. Other opposition parties, including the Social Democratic Party (SDP), also showed hesitation in the face of Russia's military actions.

Seven out of ten members from the Left Alliance voted against leaving the treaty, with seven Greens, one member from the Swedish People’s Party, and four National Coalition Party representatives abstaining from the vote. The Finns Party, which represents a significant portion of Finnish voters, had no representatives present.

The Finnish Parliament has given its approval to a government bill for withdrawal, paving the way for President Sauli Niineldeen's confirmation of the decision. Finland is expected to notify the UN Secretary-General of its intention to withdraw from the treaty in the coming days.

In a statement following the vote, Social Democratic Party chair Tytti Tuppurainen stated that SDP cares about Finnish safety in all situations, but the party is also committed to upholding humanitarian law principles through concrete actions. The Committee's chairman, Pekka Rautio, welcomed the decision as an opportunity for Finland to rethink treaty limits and enhance its defense capabilities.

As tensions between Russia and NATO allies continue to escalate, countries like Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland have also announced their intention to leave the Ottawa Treaty.

However, the decision is likely to ignite international debate and scrutiny, highlighting potential contradictions between national security interests and regional cooperation agreements.