In his second statement in recent days on outer space, a leading Vatican diplomat called for adherence to the Outer Space Treaty (1967), which bans nuclear weapons in space.
Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, said that “states must promote responsible behavior in outer space and fully respect the principles and obligations enshrined in the Treaty, particularly its Article IV, which prohibits the placement of nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit, on celestial bodies, or anywhere else in outer space.”
Earlier this year, NATO’s secretary-general expressed concern that Russia may deploy nuclear weapons in space.