SUNDAY TIMES WEB DESK: U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled a plan that envisages developing space-based sensors to detect incoming enemy missiles and exploring space-based weapons to shoot down missiles before they can threaten U.S. soil.
A statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the strategy as irresponsible and an act of confrontation but made no mention of Moscow reciprocating with new plans to develop its own nuclear capability.
Instead, the ministry called on Washington to think again, backtrack from its plans and engage in talks with Moscow to find agreement on how to manage the world’s nuclear missile arsenal.
“The strategy, de facto, gives the green light to the prospect of basing missile strike capabilities in space,” the statement said.
“The implementation of these ideas will inevitably lead to the start of an arms race in space, which will have the most negative consequences for international security and stability,” it said.