The White House’s national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, allayed some of the public’s fears on Friday by saying Ukraine would use any cluster bombs it received with extreme prudence. Sullivan noted the dangers of cluster bombs but stressed Ukraine’s will to defend its people from any Russian invasion.
Sullivan said, “Ukraine would not be employing these munitions in some foreign territory. They have a vested interest in employing any weapon system at their disposal in a way that reduces harm to the civilian population they are sworn to defend.
Cluster bombs, which detonate in a large region, have been condemned for the harm they do to populations over time. The hazard posed by unexploded cluster bombs to populations long after conflicts have ended has led many nations to pledge to refrain from employing such weapons. The United States, Russia, and Ukraine are notable exceptions to the ban on cluster bombs by not having signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Concerned about the potential harm to civilians and the impact on the United States’ reputation as a supporter of human rights, some Democrats have spoken out against the decision to give Ukraine with cluster munitions. Reps. Barbara Lee and Sara Jacobs voiced concerns, noting the importance of not sinking to Russia’s level and the possible harm to Ukraine’s economic recovery and anti-corruption initiatives if this were to happen.
The decision has triggered a discussion about the ethical and practical implications of continuing to deliver cluster munitions. Former White House spokesperson Jen Psaki suggested that Russia may have committed a war crime by using cluster bombs last year.