Pentagon recommends giving white phosphorus shells to Ukraine

Senior Pentagon officials have recommended that the U.S. provide Ukraine with white phosphorus munitions for use on the battlefield, but the White House has rejected the idea several times, according to three U.S. officials familiar with the planning.

White phosphorus is a waxy substance that ignites instantly when exposed to oxygen.

It burns at a very high temperature and is hard to extinguish. The substance sticks to surfaces — especially clothing or skin — and can cause deadly burns. The chemicals in the smoke, which often smell like garlic, can also harm lungs and eyes.

During 20th century conflicts, including World War II and Vietnam, the U.S. used white phosphorus against enemy troops. The U.S. now uses white phosphorus in artillery shells to produce smoke and conceal troop movements and to create light and illuminate the battlefield. The Pentagon recommendation was to provide white phosphorus artillery shells to Ukraine to produce light and smoke, not for use against enemy troops.

White phosphorus munitions are not illegal and white phosphorus is not classified as a chemical weapon under the Chemical Weapons Convention. But international law requires militaries who use it to distinguish between military locations and areas where civilians may be concentrated.

The Pentagon recommended providing the white phosphorus shells to Ukraine as part of several aid packages, including a recent one, as a Presidential Drawdown Authority, according to the officials.

If eventually approved, the PDA announcement would not likely list the chemical, the officials said, as has been done with previous weapons and munitions that the U.S. has sent to Ukraine but not publicly announced.