WARSAW – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Thursday that his nation will have the capability to install anti-personnel mines along its eastern frontier within just two days once it formally exits the Ottawa Convention, a move set to take effect shortly.
Poland’s departure from the international treaty comes as nearly all of Russia’s European neighbors, with the exception of Norway, are moving to abandon the agreement that prohibits the manufacturing and deployment of anti-personnel mines. The country intends to use these weapons as part of its comprehensive ‘East Shield’ initiative designed to fortify its boundaries with Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad territory.
‘We are in the process of finalising this mine project, which is crucial for our security, for the security of our territory and border,’ Tusk stated during a press briefing.
Back in December, Deputy Defence Minister Pawel Zalewski revealed to Reuters that Warsaw plans to restart anti-personnel mine manufacturing for the first time since the Cold War era, with intentions to place them along the eastern frontier and possibly supply them to Ukraine.
The withdrawal process from the Ottawa Convention began in August, with Poland set to formally leave the agreement after completing a six-month exit period that concludes on February 20, 2026.
