Japan Post Co. has announced that it will temporarily stop accepting letters and small packages to be sent by air to 18 countries in Europe and Africa, as it is having difficulty with shipping due to the cancellation of flights amid the war in Ukraine.

The firm said on Tuesday that it will return to senders most of the letters and packages that it has accepted so far.

The affected countries include the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium and Tunisia.

The firm had already stopped shipping all international mail bound for Ukraine.