Poland and Baltics to quit landmine treaty over Russia fears

A joint statement said it was "paramount" troops had flexibility to defend Nato's eastern flank.

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In a joint statement, the defence ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland said that since signing the Ottawa Treaty, threats from Moscow and its ally Belarus have "significantly increased".

It is "paramount" to give their troops "flexibility and freedom of choice" to defend Nato's eastern flank, they said.

The Ottawa Treaty, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty, came into force in 1997. It aims to ban anti-personnel mines - those aimed at humans - worldwide, and has been signed by more than 160 countries.

But some major military powers - including China, India, Russia, Pakistan, and the US - never signed up to it.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjryp19884yo

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