In February, Uber revealed its ambitious strategy to enter seven new European markets by 2026 — however, the Financial Times now indicates that five of these launches are temporarily on hold. The countries affected include Austria, Norway, and Greece.

Uber appeared to validate this decision to the FT, noting that its recent rollouts in Finland and Denmark had achieved “remarkable success,” prompting a desire to “maintain the momentum” in its current markets.

Another probable reason for this choice: Uber’s ongoing attempts to merge with Delivery Hero, a European firm that turned down Uber’s 10 billion euro acquisition proposal in May.

It appears Uber still aspires to finalize the deal. A source within the industry suggested that halting further expansion might mitigate antitrust worries related to a possible acquisition, particularly since Delivery Hero provides delivery services in many of the targeted countries.