At a session of the First Committee of the UN General Assembly, Konstantin Vorontsov, deputy head of the Russian delegation, said Moscow is ready to open negotiations with the United States on a comprehensive, legally binding instrument to prevent an arms race in outer space — but that Washington is obstructing the process.
Vorontsov: Negotiations Ready, But Blocked
Vorontsov told delegates that Russia has repeatedly proposed resuming discussions on a treaty that would include provisions to prevent the placement of weapons in space. "We are ready once again to invite the United States to the negotiating table and begin discussions on a comprehensive, legally binding instrument to prevent an arms race in outer space," he said. "But it is Washington that blocks these negotiations and prevents them from starting."
Concerns Over the Golden Dome Missile-Defense Project
The Russian diplomat also noted that Moscow has received no substantive comments from the U.S. delegation regarding reports about the Golden Dome missile-defense system, which allegedly contemplates deploying weapons in or from space. Vorontsov framed the lack of U.S. engagement as further evidence that Washington is unwilling to negotiate meaningful limits on space weaponization.
Moscow Reiterates Call for Restraint
The statements echo President Vladimir Putin’s remarks on September 22 that Russia does not seek to fuel a new arms race and prefers to preserve the existing balance of forces rather than trigger further escalation. Russian officials say a binding international instrument is the most effective means to secure that goal.
Vorontsov’s comments underscore growing tensions over space security and the diplomatic gap between Russia’s call for a legal prohibition on space weapons and perceived U.S. reluctance to commit to negotiable constraints.
