OTTAWA CONVENTION DEBATE ⟩ U.S. Initiative Brings Landmine Issue Back to Focus in Estonia

Photo: Eesti Kaitsevägi

26th November 2024, 22:25

The United States' decision to supply Ukraine with anti-personnel mines has spurred Finland to contemplate withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, a treaty that prohibits such weapons. By the beginning of the week, this contentious debate had also reached Estonia.

Member of the Estonian Parliament’s National Defense Committee, Raimond Kaljulaid (Social Democratic Party), has proposed adding a discussion on anti-personnel mines to the committee’s agenda. The committee has had strong advocates for this issue in the past, such as retired officers Leo Kunnas and Alar Laneman (Reformist Party). However, the Ministry o Defense and the Estonian Defense Forces have been more skeptical, emphasizing that the military benefits of landmines do not outweigh their non-military risks to civilian populations.

Leo Kunnas underscores the importance of utilizing all potential weapon systems against a potential adversary. "What do we observe in the context of the current war in Ukraine? The enemy is conducting infantry assaults on Ukrainian positions with small units, such as platoons and companies. We also see why Russian forces have made advances—if only anti-tank mines are used, they are easily cleared, and that’s precisely what the Russian side is doing. Without combining anti-personnel mines with anti-tank mines, the latter cannot perform their intended function effectively," Kunnas explained.

Several other MPs have also expressed support for opening the discussion. Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Marko Mihkelson (Reformist Party), discussed the matter with Finnish colleagues yesterday during his return from the NATO Assembly meeting in Montreal.

"It would be very reasonable for NATO’s eastern flank countries to jointly reassess their participation in the Ottawa Convention and act based on the recommendations of their defense forces," he stated. He added, "I believe that, at some point, it will be necessary to hold a joint session of the National Defense and Foreign Affairs Committees on this topic. In any case, it would be essential and reasonable to coordinate our actions with allies both to the north and south."

Mines during an Estonian Defense Forces exercise. Photo: Estonian Defense Forces

"If Finland makes this decision, it will also make it easier for us to reach one. However, the discussion must begin immediately," Peeter Tali, a member of the National Defense Committee from the Eesti 200 party, remarked. He emphasized that the issue should be considered not only from a military-technical and political standpoint but also within the broader context of the theater of war.

Leo Kunnas argued that there is no compelling reason for Estonia not to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention. In his view, the current rhetoric surrounding the issue stems from what he described as the "Fukuyama-like end-of-history era." He underscored the urgency of the matter, pointing out that the Baltic states and Poland are building defense structures along their eastern borders, whose effectiveness would be questionable without anti-personnel mines. Addressing concerns about the potential risks of such mines, Kunnas stated that the training and discipline of the Estonian Defense Forces are of a high standard compared to global counterparts, and ultimately, all weapon systems entail inherent risks.

Retired General Martin Herem, former Commander of the Estonian Defense Forces, has advocated for the use of drones equipped with anti-infantry directional charges as a replacement for anti-personnel mines. He argued that drones would have a greater impact on the enemy, cost less per neutralized aggressor, and pose virtually no risk to the civilian population.

Major Taavi Karotamm, Head of the Defense Forces Press Division, stated that the Defense Forces are analyzing the necessity, feasibility, and lessons from Ukraine regarding the implementation of additional anti-infantry measures. "All solutions that strengthen deterrence and make aggression against Estonia unfeasible deserve consideration," he remarked.

He added that if modern technological tools currently available can deliver the desired battlefield outcomes without posing a prolonged increased risk to the civilian population, the Defense Forces are prepared to assess the implications of their adoption.

Ministry of Defense Sceptical About Leaving the Ottawa Convention

Peeter Kuimet, Head of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Defense, stated that the Ministry and the Estonian Defense Forces have so far assessed that withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention is not advisable. According to Kuimet, this position is based on the initial lessons learned from the war in Ukraine and the perspectives of key allies.

Kuimet explained that additional information is currently being gathered on Finland's stance regarding the potential use of anti-personnel mines for national defense. He also noted that input is being sought from the Defense Forces on which additional mining tools might be necessary for Estonia’s defense. Based on this assessment, the Ministry plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to analyze how these needs align with the Ottawa Convention. Kuimet emphasized that consultations with allies are also underway.

Terms

Ottawa Convention