Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emphasizes the need for countries to abstain from using cluster munitions.
This statement comes days after American President Joe Biden announced the United States’ decision to send these controversial weapons to Ukraine to support the country’s counter-offensive against Russia.
In Trudeau’s words to reporters on Monday, he stated, “Canada played a leading role in the global ban on cluster munitions, and we remain firmly committed to the belief that they should not be utilized.”
Cluster munitions release multiple smaller bombs when deployed in the air. While most of these bomblets detonate upon impact with the ground, those that don’t pose a danger for years, even after conflicts have ceased.
These munitions essentially create minefields that can maim or kill innocent civilians.
Currently, 123 countries worldwide, including two-thirds of NATO members, have ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions, making the use of these weapons illegal. However, the United States, Ukraine, and Russia have not signed this treaty.
U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan acknowledges the potential for civilian harm from unexploded ordnance and has pledged to send cluster bombs with a lower “dud rate,” reducing the chances of unexploded bomblets.
According to another American official, Ukraine requires these weapons to sustain its fight. Trudeau, speaking in Latvia after a meeting with the country’s prime minister, recognizes the necessity for additional munitions and stands firm against the unlawful Russian invasion. “I can assure you that all allies are working tirelessly to supply Ukraine with more munitions,” he stated.
NATO member states will convene in Lithuania on Tuesday for their annual summit.
— with files from The Associated Press’s Zeke Miller, Tara Copp, Lolita C. Baldor, and The Canadian Press.
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