Biden Administration Defends Decision to Provide Cluster Munitions to Ukraine Ahead of NATO Summit

The Biden administration has announced that it will provide cluster munitions to Ukraine, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Friday. The decision comes on the eve of the NATO summit in Lithuania, where President Joe Biden is likely to face questions from allies on why the U.S. would send a weapon into Ukraine that more than two-thirds of alliance members have banned due to its track record of causing many civilian casualties.

Sullivan vowed that the U.S. will not leave Ukraine defenseless and asserted that Kyiv has promised to use the controversial weapons carefully. The munitions are bombs that open in the air and release scores of smaller bomblets, which the U.S. sees as a necessary deterrent against Russian aggression.

The decision to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine has been met with criticism from human rights groups, who argue that the weapons are indiscriminate and can cause significant civilian casualties. The U.S. has previously provided Ukraine with other forms of military aid, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, which have been used in the ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the country.

The Biden administration has defended its decision, arguing that the munitions will only be used in a limited capacity and will not be used in populated areas. The White House has also noted that the U.S. is not alone in providing Ukraine with military aid, as other NATO allies have also provided assistance.

The Biden administration’s decision to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine is likely to be a topic of discussion at the NATO summit in Lithuania, where President Biden is expected to face questions from allies on why the U.S. would send a weapon into Ukraine that more than two-thirds of alliance members have banned.