Sweden Should Not Abandon Mine Ban Treaty

The authors argue that Sweden should not leave the Ottawa Convention, which bans anti-personnel mines, despite claims that doing so is necessary for national security. They contend that reducing the complex strategic choice to a false ultimatum, either leave the convention or be defenseless, is misguided.

Citing research and military assessments, the article asserts that troop mines have disputed military value but well-documented humanitarian consequences. The authors state that a credible defense does not necessitate access to every type of weapon. They recall that Finnish critics once dismissed adherence to the Ottawa Convention as "symbolic politics," but argue that the current rush to leave is more fittingly labeled as such.

The military leaderships of Finland and Estonia have differing views on leaving the convention, highlighting that withdrawal is not a militarily obvious decision. Finland's military command assessed that alternative capabilities had replaced troop mines after Russia's full-scale invasion, while Estonia's defense force saw no need to leave the convention in December 2024. Latvia's defense force had formally advised against leaving.

Regarding the claim that troop mines have "proven their worth" in Ukraine, the authors point to military history, noting that even extensive minefields have been breached or bypassed. They argue that minefields can delay advances but rarely stop a capable opponent or decide a war. Vehicle mines, which can target armored vehicles, have had greater battlefield significance, and the Ottawa Convention does not prohibit vehicle mines with certain anti-handling features.

The article concludes that troop mines have had limited tactical value in Ukraine's war of attrition, and the conflict's defining features are the interplay of drones, artillery, and long-range engagement, not troop mines themselves. The authors dismiss the idea that they overlook "smart" or non-persistent troop mines, stating that such considerations do not alter their argument.