A decision by Washington to halt some shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine triggered warnings in Kyiv on Wednesday that the move would weaken its ability to defend against intensifying Russian air strikes and battlefield advances.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry summoned a senior U.S. diplomat to express the “critical importance” of continuing U.S. weapons deliveries and to emphasize that any delay or postponement would only encourage Russia to continue the war.

As Washington has distanced itself under U.S. President Donald Trump from Ukraine's war efforts, a bigger onus has fallen on European countries to pressure Russia.