An announcement of US arms deliveries to Ukraine rarely elicits mixed or even critical comments from US Western allies. However, this has been the case since the Biden administration revealed on Friday July 7 its intention to supply cluster munitions to Kiev, to support it in its counteroffensive. These weapons, which release small bombs when they explode, are banned by a hundred countries, but neither the United States, nor Ukraine, nor Russia have signed up to the Oslo Convention, which has banned them since 2008.
Shortly before receiving Joe Biden in London on Monday, on the eve of the NATO summit in Vilnius (Lithuania), the British premier Rishi Sunak thus distanced himself from the American decision. He recalled that the United Kingdom has signed the Oslo Convention and “discourage” the use of cluster munitions. “We will continue to do our part to support Ukraine against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion”he precised.
Same story on the Madrid side. “Spain, based on its firm commitment to Ukraine, has also made a firm commitment not to hand over certain weapons and bombs under any circumstances”Defense Minister Margarita Robles said on Saturday. New Zealand and Canada have reiterated their opposition to this type of equipment: “We do not support the use of cluster munitions and are working to end the effects of these weapons (…) have on civilians, especially children”commented the Canadian government.
As for France, it too reiterated its opposition in principle to the use of this equipment, and underlined its “commitment not to produce or use cluster munitions and to discourage their use”. “We understand the arbitration reached by the United States in its desire to assist Ukraine in exercising its self-defense against the illegal aggression unleashed by Russia”however, the French Foreign Ministry said.
Ukrainian guarantees
Faced with these reservations, the Ukrainian Defense Minister, Oleksii Reznikov, tried to justify the use of these weapons, while giving guarantees. “Our position is simple: we must liberate our temporarily occupied territories and save the lives of our people”he wrote on Twitter. “Ukraine will use this ammunition only for the unemployment of its internationally recognized territories. This ammunition will not be used on the officially recognized territory of Russia. »
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