Following the US's decision to provide landmines to Ukraine, humanitarian organizations have voiced strong criticisms, highlighting the dangers posed to civilians and the long-term consequences of such weapons.
Humanitarian Groups Challenge US Decision to Supply Landmines to Ukraine
Humanitarian Groups Challenge US Decision to Supply Landmines to Ukraine
Activists express deep concern over the ramifications of the US's controversial military aid amid ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe.
Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, humanitarian organizations have reacted strongly to the United States' decision to supply landmines to Ukrainian forces as part of their military assistance. This controversial move aims to help slow Russian advances in the east, yet it has been met with significant opposition from groups advocating for the eradication of anti-personnel mines.
Mary Wareham, director of Human Rights Watch, described the US decision as "shocking and devastating," highlighting its contradiction to two decades of global progress towards landmine prohibition. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) also condemned the move, emphasizing that these weapons, banned by the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, have catastrophic effects on civilian populations.
Under the Mine Ban Treaty, 164 nations have committed to the prohibition of anti-personnel mines, including Ukraine. However, Ukraine's stance has been complicated since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, when it communicated to treaty members that its compliance would be limited. Wareham underscored the inconceivability of the US backing this move given the treaty's established framework.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has defended the decision, stating that reassurances were sought on the responsible use of the mines, which are designed to become inert after a limited time, making them "non-persistent." He asserted that the mines would not be deployed in populated regions while ensuring Ukraine documented their placement.
The Halo Trust, a leading landmine clearance organization, warned that this could exacerbate the landmine crisis in Eastern Europe, with recent assessments indicating that Ukraine is heavily contaminated with explosives. Estimates suggest that around two million landmines have been deployed since the beginning of the large-scale conflict in 2022, complicating post-conflict recovery efforts, which the World Bank anticipates could cost $37.4 billion.
As the US shifts its support strategy in the final stages of the current administration, the implications of providing anti-personnel mines have raised critical debates about morality and legality in warfare. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba acknowledged the ethical complexities of the issue but stressed the need to equip Ukraine with all necessary means to defend against ongoing aggression, within the framework of international law.
