UK Commits to Convention “Discouraging” Use of Cluster Bombs After US Supplies Them to Ukraine
In light of the recent decision by the US to supply cluster bombs to Ukraine, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to a convention that dissuades the use of these controversial weapons. Sunak pointed out that the UK is among the countries that have banned cluster munitions due to their tendency to harm civilians.
The prime minister also emphasized that the UK would continue to support Ukraine despite the decision by the US. US President Joe Biden described the choice to provide cluster bombs to Kyiv as a “very difficult decision.” However, Spain, which is one of the 123 nations that have banned such weapons, criticized the move along with various human rights groups.
Cluster munitions are a means of dispersing many small bomblets over a vast area from a rocket, missile, or artillery shell. While they are designed to detonate upon impact, a significant number of them often fail to explode initially, leading to the potential for later detonations that can cause harm to individuals.
The US, Ukraine, and Russia are not signatories to the international treaty – the Convention on Cluster Munitions – which prohibits the use or stockpiling of these weapons due to their indiscriminate impact on civilian populations.
During a press conference in Selby, Yorkshire, Sunak stated that the UK is a signatory to a convention that prohibits the production or use of cluster munitions and discourages their utilization. He expressed that the UK will continue to support Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia, having previously provided heavy battle tanks and long-range weapons.
Sunak is scheduled to meet with President Biden in London on Monday before the Nato summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Tuesday.
When asked about the US supplying cluster munitions to Ukraine, Sunak avoided criticizing the decision directly, instead pointing out that the convention discourages their use. The UK is the second largest provider of military assistance to Ukraine, following only the US. As the conflict in Ukraine develops, the responses of its allies, particularly the US and UK, have diverged on this issue. Biden justified the provision of the weapons by citing Ukraine’s diminishing ammunition.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude for the timely delivery of the bombs. However, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles stated that cluster bombs should not be used for the legitimate defense of Ukraine. Germany, also a signatory to the convention, stated it would not provide such munitions to Ukraine but understood the American position.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International both voiced concerns about the use of cluster munitions by both sides in the conflict, which has resulted in numerous civilian casualties. The UN human rights office called for an immediate halt to their use. Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the military alliance does not take a stance on cluster munitions.
Tobias Ellwood, the chairman of the UK’s defense select committee, urged the US to reconsider its decision, describing it as the “wrong call” and likely to damage international goodwill. Ellwood highlighted the danger of leaving unexploded ordnance on the battlefield, which can continue to harm civilians long after the conflict ends.
Russia criticized the US decision, referring to it as an act of desperation in response to the perceived failure of the Ukrainian counteroffensive.