By John Ikani
The decision by the United States to provide Ukraine with cluster bombs has sparked unease among several allies of the US.
President Joe Biden, acknowledging it as a “very difficult decision,” confirmed on Friday that the controversial weapons would be sent to Ukraine.
However, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Spain swiftly voiced their opposition to the use of these weapons.
Cluster bombs have been banned by over 100 countries due to the significant threat they pose to civilian populations.
The munitions release numerous smaller bomblets that can cause indiscriminate casualties over a wide area.
Furthermore, there have been controversies surrounding the failure rate of these bombs, as unexploded bomblets can remain on the ground for years, posing a persistent danger.
President Biden, in an interview with CNN, stated that he had discussed the decision with allies as part of a military aid package totalling $800 million (£626 million).
He admitted that he had taken some time to be convinced, but felt compelled to act because Ukraine was running low on ammunition.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, swiftly criticized the decision, highlighting the grave threat that cluster munitions pose to civilian lives, even long after conflicts have ended.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan countered these concerns by informing reporters that the American cluster bombs being sent to Ukraine had a significantly lower failure rate compared to those already in use by Russia in the ongoing conflict.
Nevertheless, on Saturday, certain Western allies of the US declined to endorse the decision.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, ahead of his meeting with President Biden, emphasized that the UK, alongside 122 other nations, had signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which explicitly prohibits the production and use of such weapons.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Chris Hipkins echoed these sentiments, describing cluster bombs as indiscriminate and capable of causing immense harm to innocent individuals.
Spain’s Defence Minister, Margarita Robles, affirmed her country’s firm commitment to restricting the supply of certain weapons and bombs to Ukraine.
She expressed opposition to cluster bombs, asserting that Ukraine’s legitimate defence should not rely on such weaponry.
Similarly, the Canadian government expressed particular concern about the potential impact of these bombs, especially on children, and reaffirmed its compliance with the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
It is noteworthy that neither the US, Ukraine, nor Russia have signed the convention, despite Russia and Ukraine both deploying cluster bombs during the conflict.
In contrast, Germany, a signatory of the treaty, acknowledged the American position while making it clear that they would not provide such weapons to Ukraine.
German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit stated, “We’re certain that our US friends didn’t take the decision about supplying such ammunition lightly.”
Ukraine’s defence minister sought to alleviate concerns by assuring that the cluster bombs would solely be utilized to breach enemy defence lines and would not be employed in urban areas.
