U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to ramp up arms shipments to Ukraine is a signal to Kyiv to abandon peace efforts, Russia said on Thursday, vowing it would not accept the "blackmail" of Washington's new sanctions ultimatum.

The Kremlin said it remains open to peace talks with Ukraine, but achieving its military and territorial goals remains a priority. This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Russia of steep sanctions if it does not agree to a ceasefire within 50 days.

The president’s call for Ukraine to avoid hitting Moscow continued his pattern of swinging between pressure on both sides to end the war and underscored the uncertainties about his strategy.

The skies over Moscow and St. Petersburg were filled with drones coming from Ukraine, days after President Trump told reporters Ukraine should not target Moscow

Donald Trump asked Volodymyr Zelenskiy whether Ukraine could strike Moscow, an inquiry that the White House says was merely a question but one that came hours after he voiced frustration at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to accept a ceasefire in the war.

President Trump reportedly questioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about whether Kyiv could blast Moscow and St Petersburg, but later indicated publicly that Russia’s capital should be off limits.

What Russian officials claim to be a massive wave of Ukrainian drones—93 in total—launched toward multiple Russian regions, with 21 targeting Moscow Oblast alone. The most intense activity occurred in Zelenograd,