Biden to discuss provision of cluster munitions to Ukraine with Sunak – BBC
US President Joe Biden has flown to Britain ahead of the NATO summit in Lithuania after several allies questioned his decision to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine.
Source: BBC
Details: Biden will meet with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday, 10 July to discuss various issues, including the war in Ukraine.
The BBC notes that Sunak did not criticise Biden's decision. However, he said on Saturday that Britain is one of 123 countries that have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international treaty that bans their production and use.
But other US allies have gone further, including New Zealand, a NATO partner, saying on Sunday that the munitions could cause "huge damage to innocent people".
Background:
- On Friday, 7 July, the United States officially announced a new $800 million military aid package to Ukraine, which included Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICMs), or cluster munitions.
- The White House has previously explained that Ukraine has pledged to minimise the risk of using cluster munitions, and those that the US will provide carry much lower risks for civilians than those that Russia already uses on the battlefield.
- Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles and Sunak said on Saturday that they do not approve of the United States' decision to provide Ukraine with cluster munitions to help break through Russian defence lines.
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