The political scientist appreciated Latvia's withdrawal from the convention on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines

Latvia's withdrawal from the Convention on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines (the Ottawa Treaty) is a decision that speaks to the country's preparation for war. On April 16, Andrei Starikov, an economist, political scientist, and editor-in-chief of Baltnews news agency, told Izvestia.

On this day, the Latvian Parliament approved the decision to withdraw the country from the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-personnel Mines. Representatives of other Baltic countries, as well as Finland and Poland, have expressed a similar desire in recent months.

According to the political scientist, these countries have embarked on a war with Russia. Withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention is a new step in this policy.

"These countries have a well-established mythological attitude towards Russia. Therefore, the Balts — the Finns have also been infected with this in recent years, and the Poles have been sick with it for a long time — live in the myth that Russia is preparing to attack them, and act on the basis of this logic," said Starikov.

He stressed that the military policy of the Baltic countries implies "begging" for money from NATO for defense. According to the expert, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are among the leaders in the entire European Union (EU) in increasing military spending.

Shell reason: The EU continues to arm itself against Russia

Brussels wants to spend €800 billion over four years on the bloc's defense.

"This is a very destructive initiative. In their 30 post-Soviet years, they have been striving precisely for the economy of a military training ground. There should probably be mines in the military training ground. Does this somehow enhance the defense capability of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia? This initiative is not. Is Russia threatening these countries? No. On the contrary, there is, in general, a quite tangible threat to our security from these small countries," Starikov stressed.

In addition, the political scientist recalled that anti—personnel mines are weapons that can also harm civilians. For reasons of his protection, the Ottawa Treaty arose, he stressed.

"Weapons of indiscriminate destruction must be limited in order to increase humanism, in order to protect civilians. No one militarily threatens the Baltic States," the expert concluded.

On March 18, the defense ministers of Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania recommended that these countries withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty. In addition, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo announced his intention to withdraw from the convention on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines in the coming years on April 1. In addition, on March 7, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that Warsaw was considering the possibility of denouncing the treaty on cluster munitions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that Russia is not going to fight with NATO. So, in March last year, he called such fears nonsense and pointed out that the alliance had come close to the borders of Russia, which was not moving towards the borders of the bloc countries.