Lithuania pulls from convention banning cluster munitions

Lithuania has withdrawn from the Convention on Cluster Munitions after the country’s parliament passed the relevant vote on Thursday.

That’s according to LRT, Ukrinform reports.

The country’s authorities argue that the international legal restrictions limit the defence capabilities and combat power of Lithuania and its allies operating on its territory and reduce the effectiveness of deterrence.

“It would be very wrong for a country, when preparing for its defence, to immediately say what capacity it would not use for its defence. Now, we can neither buy cluster munitions, nor can we train, nor can we even allow the transfer to allies who have not ratified this convention,” Defence Minister Kasčiūnas told the Seimas on Thursday.

“I can assure you that nowadays, this capability is being used much more responsibly. There are much more modern technologies. It is much more efficient. They are much safer,” he added.

Of the NATO member states that share a border with Russia, only Lithuania and Norway are currently parties to the convention.

By withdrawing from this agreement, Lithuania intends to acquire cluster munitions together with its allies.