Protect civilians - keep landmines banned!
To the European Union and Member States
Petition
We call on:
The five countries that have withdrawn from the Mine Ban Convention (Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland) to:
- Immediately halt all plans for the production, procurement and use of antipersonnel mines
- Publicly commit to not deploying antipersonnel mines
All EU Member States to:
- Uphold the Mine Ban Convention and its norms
- Actively discourage fellow EU Member States from producing, procuring, or using antipersonnel mines
- Reaffirm their commitment to civilian protection and international humanitarian law
The European Union to:
- Ensure that no European Commission funding (including SAFE loans) is used for the production, stockpiling, or deployment of antipersonnel mines
- Actively defend and promote the Mine Ban Convention, both within the EU and globally
Why is this important?
“We’re in a position to mine any border within 48 hours.” [1]
Read that again.
Polish leadership said they need just forty-eight hours to bring back a weapon the world banned after decades of effort.
As EU leaders clash over Ukraine funding and accuse each other of betrayal, a deeply dangerous decision is taking shape beneath the political drama: bringing landmines back to Europe.
Poland is preparing for large-scale production. Finland is already planning to train troops to use them. And in Germany, political voices are beginning to suggest abandoning the ban altogether. [2]
This is how it starts. Not with one big decision, but many small steps, happening in the shadows of bigger crises. A global norm that took decades to agree is beginning to unravel.
Landmines don’t stop wars. They stay in the ground for decades - killing civilians long after conflicts end.
But the ban hasn’t been lifted yet. Countries like Germany and Sweden are still debating their path. The European Union can still act to uphold the ban.
This is how disasters are averted: when people like you and me speak out early - before decisions harden and before production begins at scale. Add your voice before this quiet shift becomes a permanent one!
References:
- https://tvpworld.com/91077168/poland-border-with-russia-could-be-mined-in-48-hours
- https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/poland-start-producing-anti-personnel-mines-lay-along-eastern-border-2025-12-17/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2025/12/29/baltic-states-have-withdrawn-from-anti-personnel-mine-ban-convention/