Joint Civil Society Statement on Ukraine’s Unlawful Suspension of the Mine Ban Treaty

Posted on humanitarian Disarmament on 29 November 2025

This statement is available in Arabic, Italian and Spanish. 

This statement has been signed by 5 humanitarian disarmament coalitions and 77 civil society organizations across 39 countries.

As civil society coalitions and organizations working to reduce the catastrophic impact of war through humanitarian disarmament, we are deeply alarmed by Ukraine’s decision to unlawfully suspend the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. Similar to the highly regrettable withdrawals by the Baltic States, Finland, and Poland, this step blatantly contradicts the treaty’s core humanitarian mission, which as set out in its preamble seeks “to put an end to the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines, that kill or maim hundreds of people every week, mostly innocent and defenceless civilians and especially children….”

Importantly, the treaty does not permit suspension of its obligations, including during times of conflict. Allowing this unilateral suspension sets a dangerous precedent that could weaken respect for any instrument of international humanitarian law during armed conflict in any part of the world. We urge all countries to make clear publicly and as part of the final report of the next Meeting of States Parties, scheduled for December 1-5, that suspension is not permitted under the treaty.

Ukraine’s decision not only undermines the Mine Ban Treaty’s humanitarian and lifesaving purposes; it jeopardizes nearly three decades of hard-won multilateral progress to protect civilians in conflict, achieved through the collective work of states, civil society, the United Nations, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. It also disregards the repeated pleas of mine victims and affected communities, who have consistently called on states to never return to these archaic and devastating weapons.

We condemn in the strongest terms the Russian Federation’s widescale and egregious disregard for the rules of international humanitarian law in its war against Ukraine. Russia’s actions have resulted in devastating civilian suffering across Ukraine. And it is civilians, especially children, who will pay the heaviest price for this suspension and withdrawals.

A frequently invoked justification for withdrawing from or suspending the Mine Ban Treaty is the claim of unprecedented geopolitical challenges. Yet, we have faced challenging times before, after which states responded not by dismantling norms, but by strengthening international humanitarian law and the rules-based order. It is therefore deeply troubling that some states are now choosing to weaken the very system created to protect humanity and promote peace.

It matters how wars are fought. It matters that humanitarian principles are respected. And it matters that the rules-based system endures.

Signed by the following humanitarian disarmament coalitions and international, regional, and national organizations:

Humanitarian Disarmament Campaigns

   International Campaign to Ban Landmines-Cluster Munition Coalition (ICBL-CMC)
   Control Arms
   International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
   International Network on Explosive Weapons (INEW)
   Stop Killer Robots

International and Regional Organizations

   Arab Human Security Network
   DanChurchAid
   Danish Refugee Council
   Human Rights Watch
   Humanity & Inclusion
   International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons (ICBUW)
   Latin American Network of Associations of Survivors of Anti-Personnel Mines, Explosive Remnants of War and Other People with Disabilities (RED-LAT)
   Mine Action Review
   Red de Seguridad Humana para América Latina y El Caribe (SEHLAC)
   Saferworld
   Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
   World BEYOND War

National Organizations

Afghanistan

   Afghan Landmines Survivors Organization (ALSO)
   Development and Ability Organization

Azerbaijan

   Azerbaijan Campaign to Ban Landmines

Belgium

   Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling (APOPO)

Brazil

   Dhesarme – Brazilian Action for Humanitarian Disarmament

Burundi

   Cadre de Concertationdes Associations des Veuves au Burundi (CCAVB)
   Femmes Unies pour la Paix dans la Region des Grands Lacs (FUP/GL)

Cambodia

   Cambodia Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munitions

Canada

   Disability Rights and Disarmament Initiative
   Mines Action Canada

Colombia

   Campaña Colombiana Contra Minas

Egypt

   PROTECTION

France

   Action Sécurité Éthique Républicaines

Germany

   Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft – Vereinigte KriegsdienstgegnerInnen (DFG-VK)

Ghana

   Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Ghana

Guatemala

   ECPAT

India

   Indian Institute for Peace, Disarmament & Environmental Protection

Iran

   Ofogh NGO

Iraq

   A World Without Chemical and Biological Weapons (WWW)
   Kurdish Organizations Network Coalition for the International Criminal Court (KONCICC)
   Kurdistan Without Genocide‎
   Kurdistan Organizations Network to Abolish Nuclear and Mass Destruction Weapons-KONW
   Life Campaign to Abolish the Death Sentence in Kurdistan Network
   Organization against Weapons of Mass Destruction in Kurdistan
   Organization of the Justice Campaign‏ (OJC)

Italy

   Campagna Italiana contro le mine
   Rete Italiana Pace Disarmo      

Japan

   Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR Japan)
   Japan Campaign to Ban Landmines

Malawi

   Peoples Federation for National Peace and Development (PEFENAP)

Mexico

   Centro de Estudios Ecuménicos
   Derechos de la Infancia y la Adolescencia
   IGMX Consultoria e Investigación

Nepal

   Ban Landmines Campaign Nepal (NCBL)
   Women for Peace and Democracy Nepal

Netherlands

   PAX

New Zealand

   Aotearoa New Zealand Joint Working Group on Landmines and Cluster Munitions
   Peace Movement Aotearoa

Nigeria

   Youths Awaken Foundation

Norway

   Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)

Pakistan

   Sustainable Peace and Development Organization (SPADO)

Paraguay

   TEDIC

Philippines

   Generation Peace Youth Network (GenPeace) Inc.

Poland

   The Civil Affairs Institute

Rwanda

   Actors Rwanda Organisation (ARO)
   Organization of Landmine Survivors and Amputees in Rwanda (OLSAR)

Somalia

   Somali Human Rights Association (SOHRA)

South Africa

   Disarmament and Arms Control

Sudan

   Elnafeer Charity Organisation for Social Development and Prosperity
   Organisation for Saving Lives and Sustainable Development (OSL)
   Sudan Campaign to Ban Landmines

Syria

   Syrian Network for Human Rights

Turkey

   The Initiative for a Mine Free Turkey

Uganda

   Amputee Self-help Network Uganda (ASNU)
   Uganda Landmine Survivors Association

United Kingdom

   Action on Armed Violence
   Article 36
   Campaign Against Arms Trade
   Conflict and Environment Observatory
   The Mines Advisory Group (MAG)

United States

   Arms Control Association
   RootsAction
   West Virginia Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Bombs

Yemen

   Yemen Awareness Association (YMAA)
   Yemeni Association for Survivors of Landmines and Unexploded Ordnance