Ryabkov announced the transformation of outer space into an arena of struggle over the US Golden Dome missile defense system

The actions taken by the administration of US President Donald Trump to create the Golden Dome anti-missile system are turning space into a place of armed confrontation. This was announced on June 6 by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

"This is (the development of the missile defense system. This is a direct path not only to the militarization of outer space, but also to its transformation into an arena of armed confrontation," he said.

The diplomat noted that these actions by the United States lead to increased tensions and create an arms race in outer space. In addition, Ryabkov continued, they exacerbate mutual distrust, as well as hinder cooperation between countries in the peaceful uses of outer space.

"All this is fraught with the most serious negative consequences for international security," he stressed in an interview with TASS.

Ryabkov also noted that in order to counter Washington, measures are being taken aimed at the early start of negotiations on the development of an international legal document on the prevention of an arms race in outer space, which will prohibit the deployment of any type of weapon in outer space.

"We assign an important role in this regard to the international initiative launched by Russia to be adopted by the UN Member States (the United Nations. — Ed.) political commitments not to be the first to deploy weapons in outer space, to which 37 countries have already become parties," he concluded.

On May 20, Trump announced the administration's plans to allocate about $175 billion for the Golden Dome missile defense system. According to the head of state, the development will take a little less than three years.