Sunak warns alliances more important than ever after refusing to back Biden over cluster bombs

Rishi Sunak will host Joe Biden in the UK on Monday

Rishi Sunak has warned that international alliances are more important than ever ahead of his meeting with Joe Biden this week, after challenging the US president’s decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine.

The prime minister is set to attend a Nato summit in Lithuania on Tuesday, where he will urge allies to increase their defence spending and warn that they face “unprecedented” security challenges.

He will first host Mr Biden in the UK on Monday, after he refused to back the US president on the question of providing Ukraine with cluster munitions.

Mr Sunak said Britain “discourages” the use of the weapons, and is one of 123 signatories of a convention banning the bombs because of their devastating impact on civilians. Britain is instead supporting Kyiv by providing tanks and long-range weapons.

Mr Biden has said it was a “difficult decision” to approve the provision of cluster bombs to Ukraine, and sought to justify the move as being necessary to fortify Kyiv’s depleting ammunition stocks.

The prime minister will meet Joe Biden in London (PA Archive)

Ahead of the Vilnius summit, Mr Sunak said: “As we face new and unprecedented challenges to our physical and economic security, our alliances are more important than ever.

“The UK is Europe’s leading Nato ally, we are the United States’ most important trade, defence and diplomatic partner, and we are at the forefront of providing Ukraine with the support they need to succeed on the battlefield.

“We have forged and invested in these alliances because we know they are the foundation of our strength and security. And I will continue to lead a United Kingdom which puts our international relationships at the heart of delivering for the British people.”

The meeting between Mr Sunak and Mr Biden will build on a series of discussions the leaders have had in recent months in San Diego, Belfast, Hiroshima and Washington DC.

The White House said Mr Biden, who will also meet the King at Windsor Castle during his visit, will “compare notes” with Mr Sunak on the Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russia.

Downing Street said Mr Sunak will ask allies at the Nato summit to increase their defence spending to ensure they are prepared for future threats.

The UK is among a minority of Nato members that meet the alliance’s commitment to spend at least 2 per cent of national income on defence. Estimates for last year listed France, Germany and Spain among those not meeting the target.

During a by-election campaign stop in Selby on Saturday, Mr Sunak chose not to express support for Mr Biden’s decision to provide cluster bombs, pointing to the UK’s commitment to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

“Well, the UK is signatory to a convention which prohibits the production or use of cluster munitions and discourages their use,” he told broadcasters.

“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.

“Russia’s act of barbarism is causing untold suffering to millions of people. It’s right that we collectively stand up to it, and I’ll be heading off to the Nato summit next week in Vilnius, where we will be discussing exactly this with our allies – how we can strengthen our support for Ukraine.”

But former prime minister Boris Johnson weighed in to support Mr Biden’s decision, hours after Mr Sunak had said he “discouraged” the use of the munitions.

He tweeted: “Joe Biden has taken a difficult but brave decision to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine. He is right.

“These are terrible weapons. But they have been used by Putin for over a year in his programme of indiscriminate slaughter of an entirely innocent people. The faster we help the Ukrainians to win, the more lives we will save all round.”

Cluster munitions deploy a large number of bomblets across a wide area. Unexploded bomblets can continue to pose a threat to civilians long after conflicts end.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibits their use or stockpiling because of their indiscriminate effect on civilian populations. The US, Ukraine and Russia are not signatories.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have used cluster munitions already in the war.