Russia vetoes U.N. resolution opposing space-based nuclear arms

April 24 (UPI) -- Russia vetoed a U.S.- and Japan-sponsored U.N. resolution, opposing the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, during a Wednesday vote among the United Nations' 15-member security council.

China abstained and 13 member nations voted in favor of the resolution, but Russia's veto prevented its passage, Politico and Axios reported.

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's U.N. ambassador, called the resolution "absurd and politicized" while opposing it.

"If you are following the rules, would you not support a resolution that reaffirms them?" U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield asked. "What could you possibly be hiding?"

The resolution would have called on the world's nations to abstain from creating a space-based nuclear arms race, affirming the 1967 Outer Space Treaty that banned the deployment of nuclear arms or other weapons of mass destruction in Earth's orbit.

The United States and Russia are among the nation's that signed the 1967 treaty.

"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," U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement Wednesday.

Sullivan said U.S. officials believe Russia is developing a new satellite capable of carrying a nuclear weapon.

"We have heard President [Vladimir] Putin say publicly that Russia has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space," Sullivan said. "If that were the case, Russia would not have vetoed this resolution."