LONDON, July 8 — Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said today Britain is part of a convention that "discourages” the use of cluster munitions, after Washington announced plans to send the controversial weapons to Ukraine.

The United States drew sharp criticism from rights groups due to the danger unexploded bomblets pose even after a conflict has ended.

Washington said it had received assurances from Kyiv that it would seek to minimise the risk to civilians with US President Joe Biden admitting that supplying Ukraine with the weapons was a "difficult decision”.

"The UK is signatory to a convention which prohibits the production or use of cluster munitions and discourages their use,” Sunak said in televised remarks.

"We will continue to do our part to support Ukraine against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion. But we’ve done that by providing heavy battle tanks and most recently long-range weapons, and hopefully all countries can continue to support Ukraine,” he added.

Sunak said "Russia’s act of barbarism is causing untold suffering to millions of people” and "it’s right that we collectively stand up to it”.

In total, 123 countries have signed the 2008 Oslo Convention banning the production, storage, sale and use of cluster munitions.

Russia, Ukraine and the United States are not signatories. — AFP