Russia expressed strong disapproval on Friday regarding U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at establishing a new missile defense shield. The Kremlin accused Washington of destabilizing the global nuclear equilibrium and exacerbating military tensions in outer space.
On Monday, Trump enacted an order to initiate the development of an “American Iron Dome,” a state-of-the-art missile defense system intended to address threats from ballistic, hypersonic, cruise missiles, and other aerial assaults.
The White House stated that the objective was to modernize an outdated system and to counter an evolving “catastrophic threat,” as adversaries of the U.S. continue to enhance their missile capabilities.
However, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, condemned the initiative, claiming it aims to diminish the nuclear deterrent capabilities of both Russia and China.
In what was Moscow’s most forceful denunciation of Trump’s new policy, she cautioned that the U.S. action would jeopardize the prospects for nuclear arms control negotiations—an area both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have previously indicated they support.
“The plan directly envisions a substantial enhancement of the American nuclear arsenal and the means for conducting military operations in space, including the development and deployment of space-based interception systems,” Zakharova stated during a news briefing in Moscow.
“We view this as further evidence of the U.S. intent to transform space into a battleground and to deploy weapons there.
“The outlined U.S. strategies will not aid in reducing tensions or improving the strategic landscape, nor will they create a foundation for productive dialogue on strategic offensive arms,” she added.
The White House’s statement regarding the Iron Dome did not mention any plans to bolster the U.S. nuclear arsenal, but asserted:
“The Iron Dome will advance the objectives of peace through strength. By equipping the United States with a second-strike capability, the Iron Dome will deter adversaries from launching attacks on the homeland.”
Trump and Putin have expressed a desire to hold a face-to-face meeting to address various topics, including the conflict in Ukraine. However, Moscow has indicated that it has not yet received any indications from the United States regarding the timing and location of such a meeting.
