In March 2025, Poland, together with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, announced their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines. This decision marks a significant shift in Poland's military policy, as the country formally abandoned the treaty, having been a signatory for 29 years and a ratifying member for 14. The implications of this withdrawal could have serious repercussions for regional security dynamics, especially in light of tensions with neighboring countries.

Reports indicate that the only producer of anti-personnel mines in Poland is the Bydgoskie Zakłady Elektromechaniczne Belma, which has received funding to increase its production capacity to 1.2 million units annually. However, experts suggest that this figure falls short of the estimated demand, which ranges from five to six million units. The production costs for a single anti-personnel mine are relatively low, yet the costs associated with demining operations could run into the hundreds of dollars per unit, highlighting a potential future burden for the country.

Further complicating the situation, Poland has expressed intentions to mine its borders with Belarus and Russia, raising concerns among experts about the strategic implications of such actions. Analysts from the Eastern Flank Institute emphasize the need for reconsideration, given the humanitarian and geopolitical ramifications of expanding minefields in an already tense region. The withdrawal from the convention and the plans to increase mine production may reflect a broader shift in Poland's defense strategy as it navigates complex security challenges in Eastern Europe.