Berlin, 14 July 2023 (dpa/MIA) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz again defended the US decision to supply controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine, but at the same time stressed the importance of an international treaty banning this type of munition.

The US government had "made a decision that is not ours, but which it made sovereignly," Scholz said. The chancellor pointed out that otherwise the US may not be able to provide sufficient ammunition to Ukraine, which is battling against a Russian invasion.

But Scholz said the international Convention on Cluster Munitions, which Germany signed, is "of great importance" and that he has great concerns about the potential impact of unexploded cluster bombs on civilians long after the war is over.

Almost 80 years after the end of World War II, alerts about unexploded bombs remain relatively frequent in Germany, Scholz noted.

"And that is why it is a very justified concern that we are pursuing with this convention. And I also feel committed to it," said Scholz.

Neither the US, Ukraine nor Russia have signed the convention, which seeks to outlaw cluster munitions The weapons are bombs that burst over a target, scattering large numbers of smaller explosives. A large portion fail to detonate but remain as a threat for years into the future.

Photo: DPA