Russian former President Dmitry Medvedev blamed NATO countries on Monday for the abandonment of a moratorium on short- and medium-range nuclear missiles and said Moscow would take further steps in response.

Russia ended its moratorium on deploying medium and short-range nuclear missiles on Sunday, citing NATO actions after U.S. withdrew from INF Treaty in 2019.

In a statement Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry linked the decision to efforts by the U.S. and its allies to develop intermediate range weapons and preparations for their deployment in Europe and other parts of the world.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Wednesday, the Kremlin said, days before the White House’s deadline for Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine or potentially face severe economic penalties that could also hit countries buying its oil.

The White House is racing to beat another self-imposed deadline to resolve Russia’s war in Ukraine, with President Donald Trump leaning hard on his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to get Moscow to halt the fighting.