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The Biden administration, unlike many of its closest allies, said on Friday it would provide cluster munitions to Ukraine, despite concerns that the weapons could endanger civilians.
Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser, told reporters at the White House that he would “leave it to the Pentagon to make a formal announcement” later Friday afternoon, but said the administration would continue to arm Ukraine as conventional artillery stockpiles dwindle. . He advocated the use of weapons because Ukraine was running out of artillery shells, and Russia had been using them since the beginning of the war. “Ukraine will not use these munitions on some foreign lands,” Sullivan He said. “This is their country that they are defending. These are their citizens who are protecting them and are motivated to use whatever weapon system they have in a way that minimizes the risk to those citizens.” Sullivan said the provision of munitions would serve as a “bridge” as conventional arms production ramps up in the coming months.
Biden and his advisers had reservations about supplying the weapons, which dispense deadly bomblets, to Ukrainian forces, particularly because they are particularly dangerous to children, who pick up the duds only to have them explode. But Ukraine is burning stocks of conventional artillery, and administration officials ultimately decided they had little choice amid fears that Russia would gain the upper hand if they ran out of soldiers.
Many of the US allies who moved to provide Kiev with tanks, planes, and artillery made it a point to provide cluster munitions. The UK, Germany and France are among more than 100 countries that have signed an arms embargo treaty; The United States, Russia and Ukraine have not. Russia uses cluster munitions for most of the war, and analysts say up to 40 percent of those weapons have resulted in duds, posing an even greater danger to civilians. Ukrainians have been using weapons since the beginning of the war, often on their own territory.
While neither Germany nor France criticized or opposed the move, Germany and France said they would not follow suit, citing the treaty. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the military alliance had no official position on the use of cluster munitions in battle. “It is up to individual allies to make decisions about the delivery of weapons and military supplies to Ukraine.” The UN Secretary-General has said he wants countries to stop using cluster munitions
Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser, told reporters at the White House that he would “leave it to the Pentagon to make a formal announcement” later Friday afternoon, but said the administration would continue to arm Ukraine as conventional artillery stockpiles dwindle. . He advocated the use of weapons because Ukraine was running out of artillery shells, and Russia had been using them since the beginning of the war. “Ukraine will not use these munitions on some foreign lands,” Sullivan He said. “This is their country that they are defending. These are their citizens who are protecting them and are motivated to use whatever weapon system they have in a way that minimizes the risk to those citizens.” Sullivan said the provision of munitions would serve as a “bridge” as conventional arms production ramps up in the coming months.
Biden and his advisers had reservations about supplying the weapons, which dispense deadly bomblets, to Ukrainian forces, particularly because they are particularly dangerous to children, who pick up the duds only to have them explode. But Ukraine is burning stocks of conventional artillery, and administration officials ultimately decided they had little choice amid fears that Russia would gain the upper hand if they ran out of soldiers.
Many of the US allies who moved to provide Kiev with tanks, planes, and artillery made it a point to provide cluster munitions. The UK, Germany and France are among more than 100 countries that have signed an arms embargo treaty; The United States, Russia and Ukraine have not. Russia uses cluster munitions for most of the war, and analysts say up to 40 percent of those weapons have resulted in duds, posing an even greater danger to civilians. Ukrainians have been using weapons since the beginning of the war, often on their own territory.
While neither Germany nor France criticized or opposed the move, Germany and France said they would not follow suit, citing the treaty. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the military alliance had no official position on the use of cluster munitions in battle. “It is up to individual allies to make decisions about the delivery of weapons and military supplies to Ukraine.” The UN Secretary-General has said he wants countries to stop using cluster munitions
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