NATO member Finland plans to quit a global convention banning anti-personnel landmines and boost defence spending to at least 3% of GDP by 2029 in response to the evolving military threat from Russia.
Poland and the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania said last month they would withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa convention due to threats posed by neighbouring Russia.
By leaving the treaty, Finland, which guards NATO's longest border with Russia, could start stockpiling landmines again to have them at hand should a need arise.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said there was no immediate military threat to his Nordic nation, but that Russia poses a long-term danger to all of Europe.
"Withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention will give us the possibility to prepare for the changes in the security environment in a more versatile way," he said.
He added that Finland would allocate an additional 3 billion euros ($3.24 billion) to defence.
Poland and the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania said last month they would withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa convention due to threats posed by neighbouring Russia.
By leaving the treaty, Finland, which guards NATO's longest border with Russia, could start stockpiling landmines again to have them at hand should a need arise.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said there was no immediate military threat to his Nordic nation, but that Russia poses a long-term danger to all of Europe.
"Withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention will give us the possibility to prepare for the changes in the security environment in a more versatile way," he said.
He added that Finland would allocate an additional 3 billion euros ($3.24 billion) to defence.
8 months ago
