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US President Joe Biden defended the ‘difficult decision’ to send cluster bombs to Ukraine. These bombs have a record of killing many civilians. The US announced the decision ahead of a NATO summit in Lithuania next week.

The US president said he took this decision “considering the situation”. He made this decision because “Ukraine is running out of ammunition”.

The leaders of Ukraine welcomed this “timely” decision of the US President. However, Russia has expressed “disappointment” with Washington’s decision.

Cluster bombs are banned in 120 countries around the world.

Biden told CNN in an interview last Tuesday that he had spoken with allies about the decision.

Early in the Russia–Ukraine war, the White House was questioned about Russia’s alleged use of cluster and vacuum bombs. The White House press secretary at the time said the allegations, if true, would constitute a potential “war crime.”

Biden’s national security adviser, Jack Sullivan, said at a briefing at the White House on Friday, “Officials know that unexploded bombs in cluster bombs can pose a risk to civilians.” For this reason, we have postponed the use of this bomb as long as we could.

Ukraine is running out of ammunition, Sullivan said. It is important to keep their arms supply system uninterrupted. The US has boosted its domestic production.

Biden’s security adviser said, “There is no way we can leave Ukraine vulnerable during this conflict.”

The cluster bomb failure has long been debated. These bombs often do not explode. Unexploded state lies in the ground for years. Arbitrary explodes anytime later.
More than 120 countries around the world have banned the use, production and stockpiling of cluster bombs.

Sullivan told reporters that the U.S. bombs in Ukraine are far safer than the cluster bombs that Russia has already used in the war. Less than 2.5 percent of US bombs fail to detonate in time. On the other hand, the amount of such bombs in Russia is 30 to 40 percent.

Biden’s initiative would bypass U.S. law to produce, use, or transfer banned bombs. The rate of these bombs remaining unexploded is more than 1 percent.

Early in the Russia–Ukraine war, the White House was questioned about Russia’s alleged use of cluster and vacuum bombs. The White House press secretary at the time said the allegations, if true, would constitute a potential “war crime.”

While speaking at the United Nations Human Rights Office yesterday, Marta Hurtado said, “The use of such ammunition must be stopped immediately and such weapons should not be used anywhere.”

Criticism of Russia

The Russian ambassador to the United States strongly criticized the decision of the US President Biden.

Ambassador Anatoly Antonov told the news agency that Washington is sending weapons to Kiev, highlighting their “cruelty and desperation”.

The Russian ambassador said that civilians will be in danger for a long time due to the fault of the United States.

Many people are feared to be injured in the explosion of the once unexploded bomb.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously accused the US and its allies of waging a proxy war in Ukraine.

Appreciation of Ukraine-

But despite Russia’s displeasure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the US president for the “timely” decision to provide $8 billion in much-needed military aid.

In a tweet, Zelensky said, “This assistance will bring Ukraine to the brink of victory in the fight against the enemy.” At the same time, democracy will win against dictatorship.

Ukraine launched a counterattack against Russian troops last month. They have intensified attacks in eastern Donetsk and southeastern Zaporizhzhya regions.

Ukraine’s army chief, Valery Zaluzhny, said last week that the operation was being hampered by a lack of sufficient weapons and ammunition. At that time, he expressed disappointment for the slowness in the supply of weapons from the western world.

Pentagon spokesman Colin Kahl said at a press briefing yesterday that a counterattack for Ukraine would not be so easy. Because the Russians have been staying there for more than six months.

Collin said that the reason for the slow supply of weapons is that ammunition costs a lot.

Barbara Lee, Democrat of California, called the president’s decision “disturbing.” Rep. Betty McCollum, Democrat of Minnesota, said it would be a “terrible mistake.”

Rep. Mack Govern, another Democrat from Massachusetts, said such long-unexploded bombs pose a great risk to civilians “even after the conflict is over.”

But Adam Smith, a member of the House Armed Forces Committee in Washington, told the BBC the White House had made “the right decision”.

“It is important to ensure that Ukraine regains its lost territory,” Smith said. We can help minimize civilian casualties as much as possible.’
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the military alliance has not taken a position on cluster bombs.

More than 120 countries have signed the Treaty on Cluster Munitions, pledging not to use, produce, transfer or stockpile such bombs. However, the United States, Ukraine and Russia have not signed the agreement.

Germany, a signatory to the agreement, said it would not supply such bombs to Ukraine. However, they agreed with the US position.