Democratic Reps. Sara Jacobs and Ilhan Omar have introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that bans the transfer or selling of cluster munitions amid reports that the Biden administration is set to approve the provision of these munitions to Ukraine, media reported.
Two congresswomen introduced the amendment on Thursday, the report said, adding that the Democrats "largely oppose" sending cluster munitions to Ukraine, while Republicans supported the move, believing it would help Kiev in the conflict.
"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no military assistance shall be furnished for cluster munitions, no defense export license for cluster munitions may be issued, and no cluster munitions or cluster munitions technology shall be sold or transferred," the amendment was quoted by the Politico newspaper as saying.
US media outlet reported on Friday, citing US officials, that supplies of cluster munitions to Ukraine were expected to be a temporary move.
On Thursday, media stated that US President Joe Biden had approved the provision of US cluster munitions to Ukraine and was expected to announce the move as part of a new military aid package worth $800 million.
Earlier that day, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said that the US would carefully select which cluster munitions variants to send to Ukraine if the Biden administration indeed chooses to provide them. Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzya said that the United States supplying cluster munitions to Kiev would represent yet "another step" in escalating the conflict in Ukraine.
The decision on sending these munitions to Kiev would come amid concerns that Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russia-held territories has stalled.
According to NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the choices on whether to send cluster munitions for Ukraine are determined by the individual member states.
"NATO, as an alliance, does not have a position on the convention on cluster ammunition because a number of allies have signed the convention, but a number of allies have not signed the convention. It is for the individual allies to make decisions on the delivery of weapons and military supplies to Ukraine," Stoltenberg told media before the forthcoming alliance's summit, that will take place in Vilnius.