Tortured path to US decision to send Ukraine cluster munitions

After months of hand-wringing and just days before the July Fourth celebration of U.S. independence, President Joe Biden’s national security team unanimously agreed to recommend he send cluster munitions to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Kyiv long had the controversial weapons at the top of its wish list but U.S. officials were wary because the munitions release scores of bomblets to shred anything in their path, pose a danger to civilians long after fighting ends and are banned by more than 100 states under a global agreement.
Even after approving the deal to supply Ukraine, Biden told CNN it was “not an easy decision.”
Ultimately U.S. officials say they had no choice when it became apparent earlier this year that Ukraine – now waging a counteroffensive against Russia – was running out of regular artillery ammunition and production would not meet its needs.