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White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan claimed during a briefing on Friday that Ukraine will be careful with American-provided cluster bombs.
Sullivan confirmed reports that President Joe Biden will supply Ukraine with cluster bombs, which much of the world has vowed not to use due to long-term effects on civilians.
“We recognize that cluster munitions create a risk of civilian harm from unexploded ordinances. This is why we deferred the decision for as long as we could,” Sullivan said. However, he claimed that civilians could be harmed by potential Russian advances into Ukraine.
Cluster munitions are a category of rockets, bombs, missiles, and artillery projectiles that break apart in the air and blanket a large area. The munitions often fail and can devastate civilians.
Humanitarian groups note that unexploded cluster bombs often linger and harm civilians after the conflict. More than 100 countries signed the Convention of Cluster Munitions, promising not to use them. Russia, Ukraine, and the United States have not signed the treaty.
