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Former NATO chief Solana deems use of cluster munitions 'reckless'

Javier Solana called for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict

MADRID, July 18. /TASS/. Former NATO Secretary General Javier Solana (1995-1999) said on Tuesday that using cluster munitions would be reckless.

On July 13, General Douglas Sims, Director of Operations of the Joint Staff, said that the Ukrainian armed forces had received cluster munitions from the United States.

Solana called for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict. "I think it is very important to talk," EFE news agency quoted the former NATO secretary general as saying. "Not necessarily publicly, this can be done without attracting attention, but it cannot be that the only interaction is with bullets," he stressed. Asked about the use of cluster munitions, Solana said "I think it is reckless to use them now."

On July 7, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that the US had decided to provide Kiev with cluster munitions, the use of which is opposed by the United Nations.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that if US cluster munitions were delivered to Ukraine, Russian forces would be forced to use similar weapons against the Ukrainian army. He added that Russia had refrained from using cluster munitions during the special military operation because it was aware of the lethal threat they pose to civilians. According to Shoigu, the supply of these weapons by the Americans will only lead to a prolongation of the conflict.

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