ICBL Condemns Finland's Intent to Withdraw from the Mine Ban Treaty and Urges Leaders to Reconsider
Geneva, 1 April 2025 – The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) strongly condemns Finland’s announcement of its intention to withdraw from the Mine Ban Treaty and calls for immediate reconsideration. This deeply troubling decision risks endangering Finnish civilians’ lives and reversing nearly three decades of global progress in protecting people worldwide from the catastrophic impacts of antipersonnel landmines.
Finland’s announcement comes several days after a similar declaration by the Defense Ministers of four other countries in the region—Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland—who collectively recommended exiting the Treaty. Latvia’s government similarly recommended withdrawal to its parliament on 18 March. None of these countries produce or stockpile mines, but Poland announced plans to start production.
“Finland’s decision to leave the Mine Ban Treaty and use AP mines again is a devastating step backwards in global efforts to protect civilians from indiscriminate and inhumane weapons,” said Tamar Gabelnick, Director of the ICBL. “The Finnish people risk paying for this decision with their lives and limbs as they experience the long and painful legacy of landmine use on their land. We call on Finland to reverse this decision and once again recommit to never use AP mines again.”
Finland joined the Convention in 2012. It destroyed the antipersonnel mines held in its stockpiles and invested significantly in alternative defense technologies that do not pose an indiscriminate threat to civilians. In recent years, Finland’s military repeatedly affirmed that it saw no need for antipersonnel mines for its defense. As a donor of mine action programs, Finland has also demonstrated its concern for eliminating the long-term impact of mine contamination.
Antipersonnel mines are relics of a bygone era. They are blind weapons that kill and maim indiscriminately, during and long after conflicts have ended. According to the 2024 Landmine Monitor Report, 85% of victims are civilians, and 40% are children.
The 1997 Mine Ban Convention represents one of the most significant successes in humanitarian disarmament. With 165 countries onboard—and most outside the treaty respecting the ban—it has significantly reduced casualty numbers, supported land clearance efforts, and provided assistance to victims. Finland’s potential withdrawal sends a dangerous message that the treaty only has value in peacetime, which is completely contrary to the goals of international humanitarian law and the longstanding global consensus against antipersonnel mines.
“Returning to a discredited and indiscriminate weapon is not a show of strength—it is a sign of weakness and desperation,” added Ms. Gabelnick. “If mines are used on Finnish soil, civilians will be the ones paying the price for this short-sighted decision.”
As a member of the EU and NATO - both of which strongly support the Mine Ban Treaty - Finland risks alienating key allies and aligning its military practices with the few countries that continue to use and produce AP mines, namely Russia, Myanmar, North Korea, and Iran.
The ICBL calls on Finland to immediately reverse course, recommit to the Mine Ban Treaty, and uphold its legacy as a responsible international actor dedicated to humanitarian values and the protection of civilians.
Useful Links
www.icblcmc.org/about-icbl
Landmine Monitor 2024 Report
Finland’s Mine Ban Policy
Landmine Monitor Backgrounder on US Landmine Transfers to Ukraine
The Impact of Mines/ERW on Children