Zelenskyy pulls Ukraine out of landmine treaty as war reshapes defense policy

"The decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated June 29, 2025, 'On Ukraine's withdrawal from the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, dated September 18, 1997,' shall be enacted," the document reads.

The National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) also instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to urgently take steps to ensure Ukraine's withdrawal from the convention.

Withdrawal from the convention

Member of Parliament Roman Kostenko, who was the first to report Zelenskyy's decision to withdraw from the convention, said the move would require a vote in the Verkhovna Rada.

However, Zelenskyy's decree states that oversight for implementing the decision rests with the NSDC, which in turn gives instructions to the Cabinet. The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) is not mentioned in the decree.

What is the Ottawa Convention

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction was adopted on September 18, 1997. Its members commit to never using anti-personnel mines, and also pledge not to develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, or transfer them — either directly or indirectly.

Ukraine joined the convention in 1999 when it came into force. The agreement was ratified by the Verkhovna Rada only in May 2005. Notably, China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and the United States have not joined the convention.

Ukraine is not the first to exit

Ukraine is not the first country to abandon the Ottawa Convention due to the threat from Russia. On June 26, Poland's Sejm supported a bill to withdraw from the treaty.

In early May 2025, Lithuania's parliament did the same. And in mid-June, Finland's parliament voted to withdraw as well.