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

A surprise decision by the Pentagon to halt weapons shipments to Ukraine has "blindsided" lawmakers, diplomats, and even key Trump allies, sparking confusion and criticism on both sides of the Atlantic.

The White House cited Pentagon concerns that some American arms stockpiles were dwindling too low. Among the affected weapons were air defense systems, bombs, missiles and artillery rounds.