OREANDA-NEWS  White House Adviser John Kirby said on Thursday that the United States believes that Russia has no reason to block the American draft UN Security Council resolution on the non-deployment of nuclear weapons in space.

"We expect Russia to support this draft resolution," Kirby said during a White House briefing.

Kirby recalled that the United States and Japan will submit to the UN Security Council a draft resolution calling on all countries not to place nuclear weapons in space and not to develop weapons for placement in orbit. He said the draft resolution would be put to a vote "early next week."

In early March, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated Moscow's position categorically against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space. "Our position is clear and transparent: we have always been categorically against and are now against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space. On the contrary, we urge you to comply with all agreements that exist in this area," Putin said.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported that the Russian Federation does not have a project to create nuclear weapons to destroy objects in space.