Russia and China warn US space weapons could fuel arms race

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated on Wednesday that there is still time to prevent an arms race in space by establishing a legally-binding international treaty to outlaw the deployment of offensive weapons. He urged the United States and other nations to set aside their skepticism regarding such a treaty. Ryabkov commented after the US confirmed that the Pentagon is operating weapons in orbit, a development he said had not come as a surprise to Moscow, which has long advocated for a treaty to rule out the use or threat of force in space.

US Space Force chief Douglas Schiess had previously said that enlisted members of his military branch "operate on-orbit weapons that can defend the Joint Force against space-enabled attacks." China has also urged the US to halt its military build-up in outer space, with Chinese state media warning that Washington's actions risk fueling a global space arms race. Chinese military analyst Song Zhongping told the Global Times that the US acknowledgment signifies a shift from protecting space assets to directly deploying weapons in orbit, potentially compelling other countries to respond.