Title: US President Joe Biden Faces Criticism as He Arrives in Europe for NATO Summit
Date: 9 July 2023
Author: Kathryn Armstrong
Source: BBC News
US President Joe Biden has landed in Europe ahead of the NATO summit, facing backlash from several allies over his decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine. The UK and Canada have expressed their concern about supplying these banned weapons, which pose a threat to civilians.
The US argues that these cluster bombs are necessary due to the dwindling weapon stocks in Ukraine. President Biden’s visit begins in the UK on Sunday evening, where he is expected to meet with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to discuss various issues, including the war in Ukraine. He will also meet King Charles for the first time since the King’s coronation.
Following his stop in the UK, President Biden will head to Lithuania for this week’s NATO summit. The summit will be joined by member nations and will address key topics such as boosting ammunition stockpiles, reviewing defense plans, and selecting the next secretary-general of NATO.
Finland, attending its first summit since joining in April, will be present at the gathering. However, plans for Sweden to join have been obstructed by Turkey, which accuses Sweden of harboring terrorists. President Biden is expected to seek support from Prime Minister Sunak to broker a deal with Turkey during his visit.
The inclusion of the cluster bomb issue on the NATO summit agenda is anticipated. As Ukraine aspires to join NATO, President Zelensky is expected to attend the summit and has previously accepted NATO’s position that the war must end before joining.
President Biden’s visit to the UK and NATO comes amid a potentially fraught period for the US-led alliance. Matters such as avoiding offense due to missing King Charles’ coronation, disagreements over the next secretary-general, and the controversy surrounding cluster bombs have strained relations within the alliance.
Despite international criticism, the US confirmed its compliance with Ukraine’s request to send cluster bombs, citing a military aid package worth $800 million. President Biden described the decision as difficult but necessary since Ukraine is running out of ammunition.
Several NATO allies, including the UK, Canada, Spain, and New Zealand, have distanced themselves from the US decision, highlighting their opposition to cluster bombs. However, Germany, also a signatory of the convention banning these weapons, acknowledged the American position while asserting that it would not provide cluster bombs to Ukraine.
Cluster bombs are highly controversial due to their indiscriminate harm to civilians and high failure or dud rates. Unexploded bomblets from these weapons can remain on the ground for years before exploding, posing a significant threat to civilians.
Ukraine has promised not to use the cluster bombs in civilian areas and vows to monitor and report on their use. However, Russia dismissed these assurances as worthless. The use of cluster bombs remains a contentious issue as President Biden engages with NATO members at the upcoming summit.