US President Joe Biden talks to reporters as he leaves the White House en route to Chicago in Washington, DC on June 28, 2023. Biden was seen by reporters on Wednesday with marks on his face, which the White House later explained were from the mask that he was using that helps him breathe at night. Photo: VCG

 
US latest approval of providing Ukraine with highly controversial cluster munition - a kind of extremely lethal weaponry banned by more than 100 countries around the world - for the first time to aid Kiev's counteroffensive, has received extensive denouncement over the weekend, including explicit oppositions from the United Nation chief as well as from Washington's western allies within NATO. 

Chinese analysts were scathing over the White House's decision to send Kiev the  weapons which  have a notorious records of killing civilians, and they also said that the unexploded ordnance (UXO) of cluster bomblets left behind after a strike could lead to lingering safety problems wherever they are used, as the duds in effect, can function like land mines.

It would be nothing like what Biden had expected: the new deadly weapon aid to Ukraine would not help Kiev in any way. Such a move would only escalate tensions, further provoke Russia, and increase the risk of a nuclear conflict, they said.

Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov welcomed on Sunday the US decision, saying it would help to liberate Ukrainian territory but promised the munitions would not be used in Russia. In fact, Ukraine has requested such supply from the US as early as in March. 

US President Biden defended his "very difficult decision" during an interview with CNN on Friday by saying that it had taken him "a while to be convinced to do it", but he had acted because "the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition."

A 2008 pact prohibiting the production, use and stockpiling of cluster munitions has been adopted by 123 countries, including most of NATO's 28 members. The US, Russia and Ukraine have declined to join.

When asked about his position on the US decision, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak highlighted the UK was one of 123 countries that had signed up to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the production or use of cluster munitions and discourages their use.

Spain's Defense Minister Margarita Robles told reporters her country had a "firm commitment" that certain weapons and bombs could not be sent to Ukraine.

Germany also opposes sending cluster munitions to Ukraine, said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, according to the Reuters.  

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres does not want to see the continued use of cluster munitions, said his deputy spokesman on Friday, in reaction to US decision. The secretary-general supports the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which was adopted 15 years ago, and he wants countries to abide by the terms of that convention, said Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Asked whether Guterres would raise the issue with the US authorities, Haq said the secretary-general is clear with all of his interlocutors what his views are on this issue. 

Opposing voices are also coming forward from congress and even Biden's own party. .

Key Democratic lawmakers are breaking with Biden over the controversial decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine, arguing that providing the weapons, which are banned by more than 120 countries, cedes the moral high ground and will end up indiscriminately killing civilians, according to the POLITICO on Saturday. 

"The decision by the Biden administration to transfer cluster munitions to Ukraine is unnecessary and a terrible mistake," said Rep. Betty McCollum, the ranking member of the House's defense appropriations subcommittee. "The legacy of cluster bombs is misery, death and expensive cleanup generations after their use."

"These weapons should be eliminated from our stockpiles, not dumped in Ukraine," she added. 

The US which accused Russia's use of cluster bombs at the beginning of the conflict with war crimes, is now openly endorsing and encouraging Ukraine to do the same, which once again showed the US double-standard, Song Zhongping, military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

Such cluster bombs could be mainly mounted on M777 howitzers that the US had already provided to Ukraine but they also could be adapted for drone use, Song explained, while warning mindless use of such highly lethal weapon could easily cause mass destruction and lead to damages to large number of people including civilians. 

Song also noted that the US could also use such supply to Kiev to get rid of obsolete inventory in its weapon stockpile. 

Moreover, Chinese analysts also warned that such decision would further provoke Russia and complicate the situations on the battlefield. Biden would also pay a hefty price for his erroneous decision, as such decision would further divide US allies, damage US image and credibility on the world stage, and even commit war crimes. 

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's powerful Security Council commented that 
US promises Ukraine cluster bombs luring Kiev regime into NATO membership that means WWIII, TASS reported on Saturday.