McDonald’s today announced it would temporarily close all of its restaurants in Russia and pause all operations in the market, following increased pressure to take a stand as the war in Ukraine worsens. It is “impossible to predict,” when they would reopen, CEO Chris Kempczinski said.

“We understand the impact this will have on our Russian colleagues and partners, which is why we are prepared to support all three legs of the stool in Ukraine and Russia. This includes salary continuation for all McDonald’s employees in Russia,” Kempczinski said in a statement.

There are 847 McDonald’s stores in Russia, 84% of which are company-operated, in addition to 108 company-operated restaurants in Ukraine. Business in both countries amounted to about 2% of system-wide sales last year, generating 9% of total corporate revenue, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.

Last week, McDonald’s leaders in Ukraine announced a $5 million donation to an Employee Assistance Fund and said they would support relief efforts led by the International Red Cross in the region.

Fund managers, rating agencies, news outlets and consumers have been pressuring McDonald’s to take action in Russia following Russia’s Feb. 20 invasion. As global U.S.-based businesses like Boeing, Procter & Gamble and Twitter announced plans to withdraw their investment and support, McDonald’s was conspicuous by its silence.

Kempczinski said he arrived at his decision following consultation over the last week with the company’s board of directors. He framed the company’s actions as taking the welfare of its employees first—workers will continue to be paid—and said he reflected upon words of a predecessor, Fred Turner, a former McDonald's CEO.

“In Russia, we employ 62,000 people who have poured their hearts and souls into our McDonald’s brand to serve their communities. We work with hundreds of local Russian suppliers and partners who produce the food for our menu and support our brand. And we serve millions of Russian customers each day who count on McDonald’s. In the 30-plus years that McDonald’s has operated in Russia, we’ve become an essential part of the 850 communities in which we operate,” the statement read.

Read more: How Burger King and other brands are responding to the war 

“At the same time, our values mean we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine. Years ago, when confronted with his own difficult decision, Fred Turner explained his approach quite simply: ‘Do the right thing.’ That philosophy is enshrined as one of our five guiding values, and there are countless examples over the years of McDonald’s Corp. living up to Fred’s simple ideal. Today is also one of those days,” Kempczinski said.

The company said its RMHC facility—which provides services for families with hospitalized children—in Russia would continue its full operations. RMHC Ukraine is partnering with local hospitals and providing humanitarian aid throughout the country.

“Across the rest of Europe, we will stay focused on how McDonald’s can best help those in need, both now and in the future,” Kempczinski said. “We have already seen extraordinary leadership by our Ukrainian and Russian teams, and I know the rest of the McDonald’s system stands ready to support the large number of refugees who have been displaced by this conflict. 

“As we move forward, McDonald’s will continue to assess the situation and determine if any additional measures are required,” the statement concluded. “At this juncture, it’s impossible to predict when we might be able to reopen our restaurants in Russia. We are experiencing disruptions to our supply chain along with other operational impacts. We will also closely monitor the humanitarian situation.”