“We built the space station together. We operate it together. We want that to continue. We don't want these other issues that are anything but peaceful to get in the way," Nelson told CNN.
He pointed out that there are 15 partners on the International Space Station, and Russia is one of them.
Nelson also recalled that space cooperation between the two countries started in 1975 when they launched the Soyuz-Apollo mission. “We've peacefully cooperated with Russia ever since,” he said.
Russia on multiple occasions warned against an arms race in space and advocated for its use for peaceful purposes. President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Moscow has always opposed the deployment of nuclear weapons in space.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has said that the United States and its allies are taking steps to place weapons in space and use outer space for combat operations, not only for defensive purposes.
The West continues to regard space as a new arena of rivalry and conflicts between countries, in which Russia and China are identified as the main opponents, the ministry said.