🧨 We Need a Better Way to Talk About Landmines
Finland just pulled out of the global treaty banning landmines — and it’s stirred up a storm. Human rights groups like Amnesty International are calling it a dangerous step backwards. And I get it: landmines are horrifying. They don’t just kill soldiers — they stay buried for decades, injuring kids, farmers, and civilians long after the war is over.
But here’s the problem: a total ban on landmines, while morally noble, doesn’t hold up in the real world anymore.
Ukraine has shown us that when you’re facing a massive invasion, landmines can be an effective defensive tool. And not every country can rely on drones and smart weapons — especially when those systems are being jammed, hacked, or destroyed.
At the same time, Finland’s full withdrawal from the treaty is dangerous too. It weakens a global norm that’s protected civilians for over two decades. Other countries — including bad actors — could now see landmines as “back on the table.”
So what do we do?
We need a new treaty — one that balances military reality with humanitarian responsibility.
Here’s what that could look like:
But here’s the problem: a total ban on landmines, while morally noble, doesn’t hold up in the real world anymore.
Ukraine has shown us that when you’re facing a massive invasion, landmines can be an effective defensive tool. And not every country can rely on drones and smart weapons — especially when those systems are being jammed, hacked, or destroyed.
At the same time, Finland’s full withdrawal from the treaty is dangerous too. It weakens a global norm that’s protected civilians for over two decades. Other countries — including bad actors — could now see landmines as “back on the table.”
So what do we do?
We need a new treaty — one that balances military reality with humanitarian responsibility.
Here’s what that could look like:
âś… Landmines can only be used to defend internationally recognised borders
✅ Only if those borders have been stable for 15–25 years
✅ Only with self-deactivating mines, not the old “set and forget” type
âś… Mandatory reporting and cleanup, with international oversight
And most importantly: countries wouldn’t want to mine their own land unless they had to. That’s a built-in restraint we can work with.
This isn’t about giving up on humanitarian principles. It’s about updating them for a world where war has come back, and survival isn’t guaranteed.
We can’t afford absolutism. But we can’t afford chaos either. It’s time for a smarter middle ground — one that protects both lives and sovereignty.
And most importantly: countries wouldn’t want to mine their own land unless they had to. That’s a built-in restraint we can work with.
This isn’t about giving up on humanitarian principles. It’s about updating them for a world where war has come back, and survival isn’t guaranteed.
We can’t afford absolutism. But we can’t afford chaos either. It’s time for a smarter middle ground — one that protects both lives and sovereignty.
👉 What do you think? Would a new treaty like this work?