It is rare that an announcement of the delivery of American arms to Ukraine elicits mixed or even critical comments from the Western allies of the United States. However, this has been the case since the Biden administration revealed on Friday July 7 its intention to supply cluster munitions to kyiv, in order to support it in its counter-offensive. These weapons, which release a quantity of small bombs when they explode, are banned by a hundred countries, but neither the United States, nor Ukraine, nor Russia have subscribed to the Oslo Convention, which has banned them since 2008.
Just before receiving Joe Biden in London on Monday, on the eve of the NATO summit in Vilnius (Lithuania), British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak thus distanced himself from the American decision. He recalled that the United Kingdom signed the Oslo convention and “discourages” the use of cluster munitions. “We will continue to do our part to support Ukraine against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion”he specified.
Same story on the side of Madrid. “Spain, based on the firm commitment it has made with Ukraine, has also made a firm commitment that certain weapons and bombs cannot be delivered under any circumstances”, Defense Minister Margarita Robles said on Saturday. New Zealand and Canada have hammered home their opposition to this type of equipment: “We do not support the use of cluster munitions and we are working to end the effects that 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 wish to help Ukraine in the exercise of its self-defense against the unlawful aggression unleashed by Russia”however, said the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ukrainian guarantees
Faced with these reservations, the Ukrainian Defense Minister, Oleksii Reznikov, sought 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 only use these munitions for the deoccupation of its internationally recognized territories. This ammunition will not be used on the officially recognized territory of Russia. »
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