The US House of Representatives rejected an amendment to ban the supply of cluster munitions to Kyiv

The US House of Representatives did not pass an amendment banning the sale and transfer of cluster munitions to Kyiv. About it informs RIA Novosti with reference to the voting results.

The initiative belongs to Democrat Sarah Jacobs. Earlier, the Republican member of the House of Representatives Matt Goetz also joined the initiative. The amendment was proposed to be made to the draft defense budget of the country for the next financial year (begins on October 1). It was supported by 147 congressmen, but 276 opposed it.

On June 22, the House Armed Services Committee approved an $886.3 billion defense budget that includes military assistance to Ukraine. In December 2022, US President Joe Biden signed defense budget of $858 billion for fiscal year 2023.

July 7 White House announced on the transfer of cluster munitions to Kyiv. Washington said Ukraine had provided the United States with written assurances that the ammunition would be used “with care.” July 13 at the Pentagon declaredthat weapons are already in Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry considered such a step a “gesture of desperation”, and the acting head of the DPR Denis Pushilin emphasizedthat the transfer of cluster munitions will not affect the course of the special operation. In the Kremlin warnedthat if Ukraine uses such weapons, Russia will be forced to take countermeasures.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declaredthat in the case of deliveries of cluster munitions to Ukraine, the Russian military will be forced to use similar weapons against the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The minister explained Washington’s decision to supply cluster munitions by the shortage of 155-caliber shells in the United States.