Finland’s government on Tuesday, April 1st, announced plans to begin withdrawing from the 1997 Ottawa Treaty which bans the use, production, and transfer of anti-personnel landmines.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stated that the “fundamentally changed security environment in Europe” prompted the decision and emphasized the need to boost national defense, particularly as Finland shares a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia.
“We propose that Finland starts to prepare for withdrawal from the Ottawa agreement,” Orpo said. Finland’s parliament must approve the move, which would come into effect six months after ratification.
Such a dopey idea could only be hatched in Ottawa.
