The decision left officials on both sides of the Atlantic scrambling to find out how long the pause might last.

The move "was made to put America’s interests first," a White House spokeswoman said, as U.S. munitions have been depleted in recent years.

The Pentagon is pausing shipments of weapons to Ukraine again after more than three years of deliveries meant to bolster the country's defenses against invading Russian forces.The Trump administration's decision comes as Ukraine is facing intensified attacks by Russia against its civilians,