White House explains how Ukraine will use cluster munitions
Jake Sullivan, the US President's National Security Advisor, has outlined the commitments that Ukraine has made regarding the use of the cluster munitions which Washington has decided to send to Kyiv.
Source: Sullivan at a press conference during a flight to London, where US President Joe Biden will meet with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Jake Sullivan recalled that the Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov had reported on the principles that Kyiv will follow when using cluster munitions, citing two examples.
Quote: "One being they will not use them on Russian territory; they will only use them on their own territory, where they have the highest incentive to limits — limit impact to civilians, because it is Ukrainian citizens who would be at risk," the US President's national security adviser noted.
And secondly, Sullivan added, Ukrainians "will not use them in populated areas."
Background:
- On Friday, 9 July, the US Department of Defense released details of a new military aid package to Ukraine, which includes dual-purpose improved conventional munitions (DPICMs), or cluster munitions.
- Washington's statement drew criticism from non-governmental organisations and confused several European countries and other states, such as Canada, as cluster munitions are considered more dangerous to the civilian population and there is a convention under which member states refuse to use or store them.
- On Friday, 9 July, a spokesman for the German government said that the US decision to send cluster munitions had been tough, and noted that Russia had used such weapons on the territory of Ukraine.
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