Poland Quits the Landmine Ban: What Happens Next?

Poland Quits the Landmine Ban: What Happens Next?

From Visegrad Insight Podcast by Res Publica Foundation

March 5, 2026 · 32 min

About this episode

The episode discusses Poland's withdrawal from the landmine ban and its implications for security policy and international law in Central Europe.

Poland is withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention and debating landmines on its eastern border. At the same time, nuclear ‘sharing’ ideas are resurfacing as Europe scrambles to rebuild deterrence. In this episode, Wojciech Przybylski speaks with Agata Kleczkowska, assistant professor at the Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences and a Resilient Future Fellow, about where security policy ends and international law begins. We cover: - What Poland’s exit from the landmine ban signals for Central Europe - Civilian protection, deterrence and the problem of ‘temporary’ weapons - Nuclear umbrellas, French capabilities and the legal red lines of non-proliferation - What ‘democratic resilience’ means in legal terms - Why the international legal order is eroding, and why that matters for smaller states. Agata Kleczkowska is a Resilient Futures Fellow at Visegrad Insight, powered by Res Publica Foundation and PZU Foundation. Learn more about the fellowship programme: https://visegradinsight.eu/resilient-futures-fellowship/ Subscribe to Visegrad Insight for analysis, events and member-only content. Use promo code VISEGRAd35 for 35% off an annual subscription…

People in this episode

Host: Wojciech Przybylski

Guest: Agata Kleczkowska

Topics covered

  • landmine ban
  • security policy
  • international law
  • nuclear deterrence
  • civilian protection
  • democratic resilience

Keywords

  • landmines
  • Ottawa Convention
  • nuclear sharing
  • deterrence
  • international legal order
  • civilian protection
  • democratic resilience

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Res Publica Foundation, PZU Foundation

Places: Poland, Central Europe, Europe

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