Democratic California Rep. Barbara Lee warned the Biden administration about sending cluster bombs to Ukraine in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

The Biden administration has announced plans to send M864 155mm shells, commonly known as cluster munitions, to Ukraine. These weapons disperse smaller explosives throughout an area to attack personnel and vehicles.They are controversial because of the danger posed by “unexploded” submunitions that can harm civilians long after the war is over, Washington Post report.

The decision has drawn global condemnation, with political leaders in Spain and Britain expressing opposition to Mr Biden’s decision. But the Biden administration used to oppose munitions, and former White House press secretary Jenn Psaki said in 2022 that if the reports that Russia was using munitions were true, it would be a potential threat. He said it would be a “war crime”.

Lee said cluster munitions should never be used and that using them would “cross the line”.

“So when Putin started using cluster bombs, President Biden said it would potentially be a war crime. Do you think you’ll be involved in a crime?” asked host Jake Tupper.

“I think we risk losing moral leadership when that happens because of the fact that more than 120 countries have signed a treaty stating that cluster munitions should never be used. Cluster munitions should never be used if you look at them,” Lee said. “And indeed many of us have asked the administration to sign this treaty. I hope the Administration will reconsider this because (Related: Democrats say Biden deserves no blame for pulling out of Afghanistan)

More than 100 countries, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, have reportedly banned the use of cluster munitions. CNN.