Daily SumUp

Finland will withdraw from the international agreement banning antipersonnel mines, also known as the Ottawa Convention, and spend 3 percent of GDP on defense, the country's President Alexander Stubb said Tuesday.

"Finland will prepare for the withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention," he posted on X. "The decision is based on a thorough assessment by the relevant ministries and the Defence Forces. Finland is committed to its international obligations on the responsible use of mines," he added.

The 1997 Ottawa Convention — also known as the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty — has come under increasing pressure because of the Kremlin's war on Ukraine, especially in countries neighboring Russia.