In the pursuit of safeguarding their homelands, nations within the rules-based international order have been increasingly determined to establish a clear boundary against the utilization of weapons of mass destruction or weapons that present an enduring threat to civilians. Cluster munitions unequivocally belong to the latter category.
The reason behind this classification is that not all of the bomblets within cluster munitions detonate as intended. Consequently, thousands of unexploded small grenades can persist for years, and even decades, posing an accidental risk to both adults and children who may stumble upon them. These brightly colored, battery-sized objects on the ground can be detonated unintentionally with severe consequences. It is reported that the weapons currently employed by Russia and Ukraine leave behind up to 40 percent of unexploded duds. Therefore, the people of Ukraine will continue to face the threat posed by these munitions regardless of the outcome of the conflict.
This danger led to the establishment of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in 2008. Former United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, spoke about this convention as not only a display of the world’s collective abhorrence towards these atrocious weapons, but also as a testament to the power of collaboration between governments, civil society, and the United Nations in changing attitudes and policies concerning a threat that affects all humanity. Presently, 123 nations, including many of America’s allies, have committed to never using, transferring, producing, or stockpiling cluster munitions.
However, countries like Russia, Ukraine, and even the United States, which has deployed cluster munitions in Iraq and Afghanistan, have not ratified or supported the treaty. In fact, the United States actively opposed it. At the time, this editorial board argued that the United States’ refusal to join the treaty provided cover for other nations such as Russia and China, who also rejected the ban. Consequently, the treaty’s effectiveness was undermined, as these three nations collectively possessed more than a billion stockpiled cluster munitions, which greatly surpassed the anticipated number of weapons to be destroyed.
Justifying the decision to supply Ukraine with these weapons, President Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, suggested that Ukraine would utilize the munitions exclusively within its own territory for the protection of its citizens. He emphasized that Ukraine’s motivation is to use any available weaponry in a manner that minimizes the risk to its people.
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