Richard Dannatt noted that the United States thus wants to support the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
LONDON, July 8. /tass/. The United States risks provoking a split among NATO members by transferring cluster munitions to Ukraine. This was stated in an interview with Sky News on Saturday by the former Chief of the General Staff of the British Army, Lord Richard Dannatt.
"I can share my personal experience - when I commanded the British forces and we were sent to Kosovo in 1999, we lost only two soldiers and both because of unexploded elements of NATO cluster munitions, which were still allowed to be used at that time. I understand why the Americans want to provide Ukraine with this additional firepower to support its counteroffensive," General Dannatt said. "However, the NATO summit is approaching, at which one of the most important tasks for us will be to demonstrate the unity of the alliance. Therefore, I think that the transfer of these weapons in a situation when so many NATO countries have banned them creates a risk to some extent to split harmony within NATO."
On July 7, Assistant to the US President for National Security Jake Sullivan said that the United States had decided to transfer cluster munitions to Ukraine, the use of which is opposed by the UN. He also noted that Kiev had provided Washington with written guarantees to minimize the risks to civilians when using this type of ammunition. Pentagon Press Secretary Patrick Ryder on Thursday noted that the United States intends to pick up cluster munitions for Ukraine, which allegedly will pose a minimal threat to civilians.
Earlier, Farhan Haq, deputy official representative of the UN Secretary General, commenting on American media reports that the United States would provide cluster munitions to Ukraine, said that the head of the world organization supports the Convention on the Prohibition of Cluster Munitions and opposes the use of this type of weapons on the battlefield.