(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 28. On June 27, Estonia officially submitted the instruments of withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production, and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction to the United Nations, Trend reports.

The withdrawal, which will take effect in six months, was made in response to the deteriorating security environment in the region, particularly following Russia's continued aggression against Ukraine.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, who previously submitted the draft law enabling Estonia's withdrawal from the Convention, emphasized that the move was driven by urgent national security considerations.

“Lessons learned from Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine have shown us that in order to protect our country more effectively, we must not adhere to unilateral restrictions on armaments-restrictions that our adversaries blatantly disregard. By withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, the Estonian Defence Forces gain greater flexibility to choose the necessary weapons systems and tools to strengthen our national defense, said Tsahkna.

Despite its withdrawal, Estonia reaffirmed its full commitment to international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians. The country will continue to support humanitarian demining efforts and victim assistance projects around the world.

Estonia acceded to the Ottawa Convention in 2004, five years after its initial entry into force in 1999. In addition to Estonia, several other regional countries, including Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, and Poland, have initiated similar steps toward withdrawing from the treaty.

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