The Latvian Saeima is currently deliberating a controversial bill that would allow the country to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use of anti-personnel mines. This move comes as the Baltic states express a collective intention to exit the treaty, but military experts are raising doubts about the potential benefits of such a decision.
As it stands, Latvia, along with its Baltic neighbors Estonia and Lithuania, lacks the domestic production capabilities to manufacture these mines. Experts warn that importing them could take years, and question their effectiveness in contemporary warfare scenarios.
Margus Sammelsaar, a prominent engineer and last year’s recipient of a young engineers’ award, commented on the situation, stating, “Estonia has fallen behind the times regarding landmine warfare. Apart from Eesti Arsenal, which manufactures mines, there is no one else here. While leaving the Ottawa Convention may be the right step, it should have been taken after developing our anti-personnel capabilities and establishing a proper legal framework.”
Retired Brigadier General Karlis Kreslinsh of the Latvian Army echoed Sammelsaar’s concerns. “The situation has changed significantly over the past three years,” he noted, emphasizing that none of the Baltic states currently produce anti-personnel mines.
Kreslinsh expressed skepticism regarding the military advantages of withdrawing from the convention. “I view these decisions negatively because I don’t see what military advantage they would provide when warfare operates on entirely new principles. We are in the 21st century now; the situation is completely different,” he stated.
He further questioned the perspectives of military leadership in the region. “What did the commander of the Estonian armed forces say about this? He did not indicate that it was necessary. The President of Estonia referred to it as a political issue, which raises questions. The Latvian army commander has also been cautious in his statements, emphasizing the need for funding.”
Kreslinsh concluded by calling for clearer communication from military professionals regarding the potential benefits of anti-personnel mines in enhancing national defense. “If we have not abandoned the principles of collective defense, has this matter been coordinated with Brussels? Are they in favor of mines on NATO’s eastern border? I haven’t seen evidence of that,” he remarked.
As discussions continue in the Saeima, the implications of this potential withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention remain a contentious topic among military experts and lawmakers alike.
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