Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have reaffirmed the fundamental obligation of States Parties to the Outer Space Treaty not to place nuclear weapons in orbit around the Earth.
The resolution, proposed jointly by the United States and Japan, also would have called on all Member States not to develop nuclear weapons specifically designed to be placed in outer space.
The Security Council rejected the draft resolution by a vote of 13 in favour to one against. China abstained from voting.
Placement by a State Party of a nuclear weapon in orbit would not only violate the Outer Space Treaty, but would threaten the vital communications, scientific, meteorological, agricultural, commercial, and national security services that any and all satellites provide to societies around the globe.
Responding to Russia’s Veto of the UN Security Council Resolution, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the United States assesses that Russia is developing a new satellite carrying a nuclear device. “We have heard President Putin say publicly that Russia has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space. If that were the case, Russia would not have vetoed this resolution,” he said in a statement.
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