The warring sides remain far apart after the third round of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations on Wednesday. But there was progress on humanitarian issues.

Ukraine’s once-formidable advantage in drone warfare appears to be eroding along parts of the front line. This degradation extends far beyond the immediate front—more Russian drones now prowl for targets up to 25 kilometers (roughly 16 miles) behind the contact line, and they have been hitting their targets more effectively.

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.