On a visit to the UK on the eve of the NATO summit in Lithuania, Joe Biden and his host Rishi Sunak want to express unwavering support for Ukraine and unity in the Atlantic alliance, but the recent decision by the US president to transfer the to approve cluster bombs to Kiev undermined Allied soil.
The most recent call came from Cambodia. The prime minister of that Asian country, Hun Sen, told the US and Ukraine to take into account Cambodia’s traumatic experience and reconsider the decision to use cluster bombs in the war. “It will be the greatest danger to Ukrainians in decades or hundreds of years if cluster bombs are used on Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory,” he wrote.
In turn, the German president reiterated his country’s position against the use of cluster munitions – “it is more justified than ever” – but acknowledged the impossibility of “blocking the United States”. If Ukraine no longer has the means to defend itself or if the belligerent country’s supporters withdraw, “this will be the end of Ukraine,” acknowledged Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who signed the Oslo Convention aimed at was on the ban on those weapons.
The Pentagon said the ammunition it would send to Ukraine had a maximum non-explosion rate of 2.35%, lower than what is usual for these weapons. But according to New York Timesthe Pentagon’s own statements indicate that the cluster munitions in question contain older shells known to have a failure rate of 14% or more.
On the eve of the trip to Europe, the US president gave an interview to CNN. Besides saying, as already revealed by the news channel, it was a “tough decision” but justified because “this is a war based on ammunition and they’re running out of ammunition,” Biden was unimpressed by the calls to accession as soon as circumstances allow, as defended by 23 allied countries, including Portugal, or the minority position now defending access, as defended by former President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite.
Regarding the latter hypothesis, he said that would mean NATO is at war with Russia. And as for a later scenario, he remembered there are requirements. “I think it’s premature to say a review needs to be done because there are other conditions that need to be met, including democratization and some of these issues,” Biden said, ending any expectations of a surprise: “I don’t know”. I don’t think Ukraine is ready to join NATO,” he said.
Another burning issue at tomorrow’s summit in Vilnius is the green light for Sweden from the countries led by Erdogan and Orbán. During the trip to London, Biden spoke on the phone with the Turkish president, “after expressing his desire to welcome Sweden to NATO as soon as possible,” the White House said.
Ankara said Erdogan regretted that PKK militants continued to demonstrate in Swedish streets. In the CNN interview, Biden expressed confidence that the Turks’ position could be unlocked if they received the modernization of the F-16 fighter fleet in return (as a back-up plan, as they were removed from the F-35 program were put when they bought Russian). air defense equipment).
“Frankly, what I’m trying to do is get a small consortium together here, where we’re strengthening NATO in terms of the military capability of both Greece and Turkey, and letting Sweden in. But it continues. It is not done yet. “.
Source: DN
