Russia: Talking To The US About Nuclear Weapons In Space Is Very Unproductive

UNSPLASH/Vincenzo Malagoli ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Talks between Russia and the US regarding the deployment of space nuclear weapons have proven "very unproductive", Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.

Citing a number of US officials, the Wall Street Journal on Friday (23/2) reported Washington had secretly warned Moscow not to deploy anti-satellite nuclear weapons because they were deemed to have violated the Space Agreement and threatened US national interests.

"There is no progress in this matter. The reason is clear, the absurdity of US accusations that we intend to deploy a number of nuclear weapons systems in space," Ryabkov told the press.

"As it has been confirmed recently, and as the President (Russia Vladimir Putin) said, we have no intention of that... talks about this are truly unproductive," he said, adding.

He also said Russia would not withdraw from the 1967 Space Treaty, which prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction into space.

"No, we are not considering (the possibility of leaving the agreement)," Ryabkov said.

He also said the US leaked information about US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan's talks with Russian President Yury Ushakov's Foreign Policy Advisor were unacceptable, as both sides agreed to keep it a secret.

"The US has not provided any evidence on his charges that Russia plans to deploy nuclear weapons into space," Ryabkov said.