Senator Tim Kaine and Representative Barbara Lee raised concerns on Sunday regarding President Joe Biden's administration's decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine to confront Russia. Kaine mentioned that he has "some real concerns" about the U.S. decision as it could encourage other countries to violate the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the use of these weapons. Regarding Ukraine's use of these munitions, Kaine told Fox News, "They won't use those munitions against civilian Russians."
Lee, for her part, urged the Biden administration to reconsider this decision, stating to CNN, "Cluster munitions should never be used. This crosses the line." She added that the United States risks losing its "moral leadership" by sending cluster munitions to Ukraine.
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby defended the decision, saying that the U.S. is strongly focused on demining efforts in Ukraine. In an interview on ABC's "This Week," Kirby acknowledged concerns about civilian casualties and the danger posed to civilians or children by unexploded ordnance. He stated, "But these munitions do provide useful capability on the battlefield," pointing out that Russia is using cluster munitions in Ukraine and "killing civilians indiscriminately," while Ukrainians would use them to defend their territory.
Republican Michael McCaul, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, noted, "The counteroffensive that Kyiv is conducting is proceeding slowly, and cluster munitions could change the game for the Ukrainians." He commented to CNN, "I’m really glad that the administration finally agreed to do this."
More than 100 countries prohibit cluster munitions. Neither Russia, Ukraine, nor the United States has signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which bans the production, storage, use, and transfer of these weapons. These munitions typically release a large number of smaller bombs that can randomly kill people over a wide area, and those that do not explode pose a danger for decades after the conflict ends.
