Ukraine suspends participation in Ottawa Convention on landmine ban

KYIV - The Ukrainian parliament has voted to temporarily suspend the country's participation in the Ottawa Convention, an international treaty that prohibits the use of anti-personnel landmines, a parliament member announced on Tuesday.

The motion was passed with 299 votes in favor, above a required minimum of 226, lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak said in a post on Telegram.

The government-run Ukrinform news agency said one of the reasons for this decision is "the asymmetric conditions", given that Russia is not a party to the convention, adding that the suspension would last until the complete cessation of the conflict.

Ukraine ratified the convention in 2005. Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree to withdraw the country from the treaty.