Cluster Munitions Convention Faces Obsolescence as Lithuania Withdraws and Major Users Stay Outside

The 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, modeled after the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines, is increasingly seen as ineffective. Lithuania has withdrawn from the agreement, and the largest users of cluster munitions never signed it and continue to use them. The article traces the history of cluster munitions from World War II, explaining their tactical purpose and the humanitarian concerns that led to the treaty. High failure rates of older munitions have turned conflict zones into de facto minefields, causing civilian casualties and agricultural damage long after conflicts end. The public debate often confuses cluster munitions with landmines, but the article notes that cluster munitions are less predictable and more dangerous in post-conflict settings. The analysis suggests the convention is becoming obsolete as key military powers remain outside the treaty and signatories like Lithuania exit.