Russia pushes for space weapons treaty as orbital arms race looms

Russia believes diplomatic efforts can still avert an orbital arms competition, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who called Wednesday for nations to abandon their reservations about establishing a comprehensive international treaty on space weapons.

Ryabkov's remarks came as the United States acknowledged its development of orbital weapons capabilities, intensifying global concerns about the militarisation of space. Moscow has previously warned that the absence of binding international restrictions creates dangerous precedent and raises the stakes for international security.

The Russian official urged the international community to prioritise negotiations on a legally-binding accord that would explicitly prohibit the deployment of offensive weaponry in space. Such an agreement, Ryabkov suggested, remains achievable if major powers commit to the framework.

The push reflects broader tensions between Moscow and Washington over space capabilities at a time when both countries are expanding their orbital presence. Russia has repeatedly advocated for multilateral agreements to govern military activities in space, though previous diplomatic attempts have faced significant obstacles.