UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made it clear that Britain “discourages” the use of cluster munitions after US President Joe Biden defended his decision to send the bombs to Ukraine. And while Sunak emphasised the country's continued support for Ukraine, he highlighted that the UK was one of 123 signatories of a convention banning the use of cluster bombs.
Biden, on Friday, had said that he had made the "very difficult decision" to supply the cluster bombs to Kyiv. The use of cluster bombs has been condemned by human rights groups. 123 countries including Spain and Canada have voted to ban cluster bombs. Sunak emphasised that the UK will support Kyiv by providing tanks and long-range weapons.
President Biden, in the meantime, will meet Sunak and later, the King on Monday. After the stopover at Britain, Biden will be attending a two-day NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Tuesday. Leaders are expected to discuss the future of the military alliance as several nations clamber to join and to discuss the war in Ukraine. Biden, who is being accompanied by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, said he decided to send cluster munitions to Ukraine as the country was running out of ammunition.
The United Nations too, had urged Russia and Ukraine from using cluster bombs. On July 8, Turkey backed Ukraine's bid for NATO membership. Post his meeting with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, “I am grateful to Turkey for its constant support of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. I believe that, together, we can do even more, saving lives and protecting stability.” Erdogan had said, “There is no doubt that Ukraine deserves membership of NATO.”
