Government to begin preparations to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention and to increase national defence expenditure

The security environment in Finland and Europe has changed fundamentally. Russia poses a long-term threat to Europe. This requires the Government to take action. Finland will continue to strengthen its defence on a threat-informed and needs-driven basis.

Finland will begin the preparations for withdrawal from the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (the Ottawa Convention).  The President of the Republic of Finland and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy decided on the matter in their joint meeting today. In the new security situation, anti-personnel mines would improve the capabilities of the Defence Forces and strengthen Finland’s national defence capacity and security. Finland remains committed to the humanitarian objectives of the Ottawa Convention.

“Finland is not currently facing an immediate military threat. Withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention will give us the possibility to prepare for the changes in the security environment in a more versatile way. The most important goals of Finland’s foreign and security policy are to safeguard Finland’s independence and territorial integrity, to avoid becoming involved in a military conflict and to ensure the safety, security and wellbeing of the people of Finland,” said Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

Finland has been a party to the Ottawa Convention since 2012. Since then, the security environment has deteriorated fundamentally and for the long term. Russia is not a party to the Ottawa Convention and it has used anti-personnel mines in its war of aggression against Ukraine. As a NATO Ally, Finland is also defending the Alliance’s border with Russia.
The Government’s decision is based on an assessment completed last week by the Defence Forces and on preparatory work by officials at the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In the view of the defence administration, anti-personnel mines are well suited for Finland’s national defence. Anti-personnel mines make it possible to slow the advance of the attacker and minimise the defender’s casualties. Anti-personnel mines are technically simple and are therefore well suited for training and use in a conscription system. They can also be produced quickly and in large quantities in Finland.

The Defence Forces will not deploy mines in normal conditions. Finland remains committed to its international obligations concerning the responsible use of mines and to the global work to minimise the impacts of mines. An example of this is Finland’s participation in the Lithuania-led Demining Capability Coalition for Ukraine.
Withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention requires a government proposal, which will be prepared under the leadership of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The withdrawal will take effect six months after the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who serves as the Depository, has received Finland’s instrument of withdrawal. Finland has notified its closest partner countries and other key actors of its decision.

Government proposes increasing defence appropriations

Petteri Orpo's Government has decided that Finland will increase the level of its defence appropriations to at least three per cent of GDP by 2029. The Ministerial Committee on Economic Policy agreed on the matter on Tuesday.

The Government also decided that the Defence Forces will launch materiel projects for the Army in a frontloaded manner.

“The solution will help us further strengthen Finland’s defence. It will allow the Defence Forces to take a longer-term approach so that it can immediately begin its work to modernise the Army and strengthen resources on a threat-informed basis,” said Prime Minister Orpo.

Finland’s position on how much the NATO defence spending target should be increased will be agreed on separately before the NATO Summit in The Hague.

In the new security environment, the Government will also ensure the strategic capabilities of the internal security actors – the Border Guard, the police and the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service – by increasing their resources. Measures to develop and boost funding for civil defence will also begin immediately. 
The solution will not jeopardise the Government’s fiscal policy objectives or spending limits.

Inquiries: Marja Koskela, Diplomatic Adviser to the Prime Minister, tel. +358 295 160 978, Petri Hakkarainen, Director General, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 295 351 130, Janne Kuusela, Director General, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 300, Mika Niemelä, Director General, Budget Department, Ministry of Finance, tel. +358 295 530 525 (appropriations), and Antti Karila, Director, Ministry of the Interior, tel. +358 295 488 288 (appropriations)

Interview requests: Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, Anne.sjoholm(at)gov.fi; tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister’s Office