As some European governments reconsider long-standing bans on anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions in response to a deteriorating security environment, a new report challenges the assumptions driving this shift. From Ukraine to the Baltic region, calls to reintroduce these weapons are framed as necessary for defence—but the evidence tells a different story.

This report shows that the military utility of anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions remains unproven, while their humanitarian consequences are well documented and enduring. Civilians continue to make up the vast majority of victims, often decades after conflicts end, and technological fixes such as self-destruct mechanisms have repeatedly failed in real-world conditions. Far from enhancing security, the report argues, renewed reliance on these weapons risks creating a dangerous illusion of safety—while imposing long-term costs on both civilians and military operations.

At a moment of growing instability, the report makes the case that effective defence policy must be grounded in evidence, not assumption—and that reliance on these weapons risks creating a false sense of security, while shifting the long-term costs onto civilians, often for decades to come.

Download the report here