WASHINGTON. July 6 (Interfax) - The administration of United States President Joe Biden is actively discussing the idea of supplying Ukraine with cluster munitions; it is too early to announce any decisions, the White House's deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told reporters on Thursday.
"As Chairman Milley [Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley] indicated, that is under active consideration. I do not have an announcement to make at this time," Bates said, when asked if Biden had made a decision on a delivery of cluster munitions to Ukraine.
"Our focus is on continuing to equip Ukraine with a wide range of munitions that they are using effectively," he said.
In late June CNN reported, citing well-informed sources, that the Biden administration was considering sending cluster munitions to Ukraine. According to the sources, a final decision by the White House on the matter was expected very soon. If approved, the munitions could be included in the new package of military aid for Ukraine as early as July, the sources told the television channel.
Cluster munitions were first used during the Second World War. It is a class of weapons comprising missiles, bombs, reactive projectiles and artillery shells, which explode in midair and scatter lighter bombs over a large area.