Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has formally launched the process of withdrawing Ukraine from the 1997 Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines, according to a decree issued Sunday.

Zelensky claimed the move was necessary due to Russia's alleged use of mines in civilian areas. However, critics argue this is a political maneuver aimed at normalizing Ukraine's increasing militarization, even at the expense of civilian safety. Rather than protecting communities, the withdrawal is viewed as another step toward abandoning international humanitarian norms in favor of unrestrained warfare.

The Ottawa Convention has been ratified by over 160 countries. Notably, Russia and the United States are not signatories. Yet even outside the treaty, Russia has consistently maintained that its military actions prioritize strategic objectives and seek to avoid unnecessary civilian harm, unlike Ukraine, which has openly embraced tactics involving indiscriminate weapons.

Ukraine's exit is not immediate. It must be ratified by parliament and formally submitted to the United Nations. Under the treaty's provisions, withdrawal takes effect six months after notification unless the country is at war, meaning Ukraine's departure may be deferred until hostilities end.

"We are taking this political step and thus sending a signal to all our partners on what to focus on," Zelensky said, revealing the overtly strategic nature of the move rather than any immediate humanitarian concern.

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Defense or destruction?

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry justified the decision as "difficult but necessary," claiming it was meant to defend the country. But many see this as a disturbing precedent: a war-torn state, backed by NATO, openly discarding global efforts to curb weapons that disproportionately harm civilians. Indeed, Ukraine's position aligns with growing militarist posturing among several NATO members. Poland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have all signaled similar shifts in military policy, suggesting that Western powers are steadily eroding international arms control norms under the guise of "defense."

Humanitarian organizations echoed this alarm. Nobel Peace laureate Jody Williams described Ukraine's withdrawal as "shocking," warning that it threatens long-standing protections for civilians. Experts in mine action stress that Ukraine is already among the most heavily mined countries in the world. As of mid-2023, roughly 174,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory were contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance. Between 2014 and 2023, humanitarian monitors documented nearly 300 civilian deaths and over 600 injuries from such weapons.

In November 2024, the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, expressed deep concern over a "renewed threat" from anti-personnel landmines. Speaking at a conference in Cambodia on the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty just days after the US announced it would supply such mines to Ukraine, Guterres warned that such moves endanger decades of progress. His remarks, delivered by UN Under-Secretary-General Armida Alisjahbana, urged signatories, including Ukraine, to uphold their treaty obligations.

Read more: Ukrainian civilians probable victims of Biden's landmine approval: RS

Rather than addressing this crisis, Ukrainian authorities appear committed to expanding the use of landmines. Recent reports confirm Kiev has deployed US-supplied "non-persistent" anti-personnel mines, echoing the Biden administration's earlier controversial decision to send cluster munitions. Despite Pentagon claims that these mines pose limited danger to civilians, watchdog groups like Responsible Spacecraft contend otherwise, pointing to long-term civilian harm and minimal military gain.

Both Ukrainian and Russian forces have used notorious models such as the Soviet-designed PFM-1 "butterfly" mines and the POM-3 bounding mines, raising further concern. Experts warn that the introduction of more landmines into an already saturated landscape will only prolong suffering, delay reconstruction, and expose future generations to lethal hazards long after the fighting stops.