US President Joe Biden will fly into the UK on Sunday amid tensions over his choice to ship cluster bombs to Ukraine.

Air Force One is anticipated to the touch down at Stansted Airport this night earlier than Mr Biden meets with each Rishi Sunak in Downing Street and the King at Windsor Castle on Monday.

Mr Biden’s stopover in Britain comes forward of a crunch two-day NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Tuesday, by which leaders are set to debate the war in Ukraine and the way forward for the army alliance as several nations clamber to join.

But it comes as controversy grows over the White House’s announcement that it will send cluster munitions to Kyiv, regardless of use of the bombs being banned by 123 nations internationally – together with Britain.

Mr Biden, who might be accompanied on his European tour by his Secretary of State Antony Blinken, referred to as it a “difficult decision”, however claimed he needed to act as a result of “the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition”.

However, Mr Sunak publicly refused to again the transfer whereas chatting with reporters on Saturday, and identified that the UK is a “signatory to a convention which prohibits the production or use of cluster munitions and discourages their use”.

He added: “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.”

Some of his Conservative colleagues have gone additional, with Tory MP and Commons Defence Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood urging the US to “reconsider”.

He tweeted: “This is the wrong call and will alienate international good will. Their use leaves deadly unexploded ordnance over the battlefield, killing & injuring civilians.”

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Critics say cluster bombs, that are dropped throughout a large space, kill and maim individuals indiscriminately.

They have additionally been in comparison with landmines as a result of they’ll fail to detonate on influence and generally lay undiscovered for years – till unsuspecting civilians are blown up after they by chance set them off.

The US’s Western allies seem cut up on the choice – Germany has declined to criticise the transfer, whereas Spain has expressed considerations.

Both Russia and Ukraine have already deployed cluster munitions to this point within the battle and, just like the US, aren’t signatories to the worldwide settlement banning their use.

Despite the tensions, the White House stated Mr Biden was trying ahead to the talks with Mr Sunak, which can embrace the pair “comparing notes” on Ukraine’s counteroffensive in opposition to Russia.

Mr Sunak and Mr Biden aren’t anticipated to carry a joint news convention within the UK.

Meanwhile, Downing Street has stated Mr Sunak will use the NATO summit to induce allies to extend their army spending.

In a press release, the prime minister stated: “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 main NATO ally, we’re the United States’ most essential commerce, defence and diplomatic companion, and we’re on the forefront of offering Ukraine with the help they should succeed on the battlefield.

“We have forged and invested in these alliances because we know they are the foundation of our strength and security.”

The UK is amongst a minority of NATO members that meets the alliance’s dedication to spend at the least 2% of nationwide earnings on defence.

France, Germany and Spain didn’t meet the goal final 12 months, in accordance with estimates.

Mr Biden will end his European tour with a go to to the Finnish capital Helsinki for a US-Nordic leaders summit, earlier than flying again to the US on Thursday.