The current political situation created by Russia in the Eastern European region has forced a number of countries, including Ukraine, to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention (Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention) to protect their territorial integrity, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Azerbaijan Yuriy Husyev said in his authored article dedicated to Ukraine's withdrawal from the convention, Report informs.
"Our decision (to withdraw from the convention - ed.) is not unique. Under the influence of Russian aggression, political and legislative steps to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention or revise their obligations have already been taken by Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland and Poland. These states, even without being in a state of war, have recognized the real threat from the Russian Federation and the need to ensure greater flexibility in defense matters," Husyev wrote.
The diplomat noted that Russia is not a party to the Ottawa Convention and, accordingly, has no obligations under it, unlike Ukraine, which has been implementing the provisions of this document since its ratification in 2005.
"This created an extremely unfair and one-sided situation where the aggressor country acts without restrictions, while the victim of Russian aggression is bound by international obligations even in matters of self-defense," he wrote.
The ambassador also emphasized that Ukraine's membership in the Ottawa Convention threatened the lives of millions of Ukrainians.
"And this is what put us in an extremely unequal and unfair position, where an international treaty limited our defense capabilities," he wrote.