VILNIUS/HELSINKI/TALLINN, July 9 (Reuters) - Lithuania and Finland look set to start domestic production of anti-personnel landmines next year to supply themselves and Ukraine because of what they see as the military threat from Russia, officials from the two NATO member states told Reuters.
The two countries that border Russia have announced their intention to pull out of the Ottawa Convention to ban the use of such mines, and the officials said production could be launched once the six-month withdrawal process is completed.
Three other NATO and European Union states - Poland, Latvia and Estonia - are also quitting the treaty, citing rising security concerns about Russia because of its war in Ukraine.
Those three countries have not announced plans to start producing anti-personnel mines. Still, officials in Poland and Latvia have indicated they could begin production quickly if needed, and Estonia sees it as a possible option in the future.
Ukraine has also announced it is withdrawing from the 1997 Ottawa treaty to defend itself better against Russia, which is not a party to the treaty. Each side has accused the other of using anti-personnel mines during the war.
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