US ignores criticism and will send cluster bombs to Ukraine

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The United States ignored the criticism from the United Nations Organization and several countries and confirmed that it will supply Ukraine with cluster munitions, which will form part of the new military contribution package of 800 million dollars that it will deliver, because the counteroffensive going slower than expectedthe Pentagon and the White House confirmed yesterday.

Multibomb projectiles are banned in many countries because they kill indiscriminately.

It was a very difficult decision for mebut the Ukrainian troops are running out of ammunitionPresident Joe Biden told CNN, who claims to have discussed it with allied countries and the US Congress. Either they have the arsenal to stop the Russians now (…) or they don’t. and i think they need themhe claimed.

The United States believes that Ukraine requires these munitions to reinforce its counteroffensive and advance through the Russian lines. American leaders debated the issue for months, before Biden defined the decision. According to the Ukrainian president, Volodymir Zelensky defends him in the occupied areas.

We recognize that cluster munitions create a risk of harm to civilians from unexploded ordnance. That’s why we postponed the decision for as long as we couldexplained the White House National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, at a press conference, specifying that the official announcement of the delivery will be formalized by the Pentagon.

These types of bombs release or disperse submunitions that detonate before, during, or after impact. Depending on the type of weapon used, the number of submunitions ranges from a few dozen to more than 600. Many countries have banned their use and production under the 2008 Oslo Convention, to which the United States and Ukraine are not parties. .

Sullivan explained that US munitions have a non-explosion rate – those that fail and remain buried – of less than 2.5 percent, while Russian munitions are around 40. They are defending their countryhe remarked, and expressed his government’s commitment to help in the demining process.

Under Secretary of Defense for Political Affairs Colin Kahl announced at the conference the new $800 million military package to Ukraine, bringing the total to more than $41 billion since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022. and includes this type of lethal ammunition.

The Pentagon official assured that it is too early to judge how the Ukrainian counteroffensive is going. because we are at the beginning of the middle. The counteroffensive is slower than we expectedbut the Ukrainians have a lot of combat power left.

The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, reiterated his rejection of the use of bombs on the battlefield, including in the Ukraine conflict, and reaffirmed his support for the Oslo Convention. In addition, at least 38 human rights organizations have opposed the move, the newspaper reported. The Hill.

In Germany, the government spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, declared that he is sure that the Americans they did not take the decision to hand over the munitions in question lightly. The French government has stated that it will respect its commitments in the Oslo Convention, but understands the arbitration reached by the United States in its desire to help Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Sullivan added that Ukraine’s proposed entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will be discussed, but not decided at the organization’s summit next week in Vilnius. He anticipated that it is possible that Turkey and Hungary stop blocking their entry, but if they don’t, that will happen.

He added that there is goodwill on Sweden’s candidacy for the alliance.

Ukraine deserve be incorporated into the bloc, considered yesterday the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after a meeting in Istanbul with Zelensky.

On another topic, President Joe Biden told his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, after his meeting with Russian Vladimir Putin that be careful because Beijing depends on Western investment, according to excerpts from an interview with CNN. I told him: This is not a threat. This is an observationBiden stated.

Source: Afp, Ap and Europa Press