US does not believe in split in NATO over cluster munitions supply to Ukraine

Washington does not believe that the decision to provide Ukraine with cluster munitions will cause a split among NATO member states.

Source: Jake Sullivan, US National Security Advisor to President Joe Biden, at a press conference, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Sullivan was asked whether US President Joe Biden was worried that the supply of cluster munitions could cause controversy during the NATO summit in Vilnius on 11-12 July.

"I do not think you will see fracture, division, or disunity as a result of this decision, even though many allies and signatories to Oslo are in a position where they themselves cannot say, ‘We are for cluster munitions.’," Sullivan stated.

Sullivan has said that the US has heard nothing from people saying, ‘This casts doubt on our commitment,’ ‘This casts doubt on coalition unity,’ or ‘This casts doubt on our belief that the United States is playing a vital and positive role as leader of this coalition in Ukraine.’"

Sullivan also pointed out that Ukraine has pledged not to use cluster munitions on Russian territory and will use them only on its own territory and not in populated areas.

Background: 

• The United States announced new military aid on Friday, 7 July to support the Ukrainian army, including cluster munitions.
• Washington's announcement drew criticism from NGOs and confused several European countries and Canada, as cluster munitions are considered more dangerous to civilians and there is a convention that requires member states to refuse to use and store them.
• Earlier, a German government spokesperson said that the US decision to send cluster munitions was not taken lightly and noted that Russia had already used such weapons in Ukraine.

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