Over large fries and cherry pies, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba discussed the importance of McDonald’s returning to Ukraine after the Russian invasion. The top diplomats had a quick bite to eat at McDonald’s in Kiev ahead of a joint press conference.
Mr. Blinken went to X to share pictures of their visit to McDonald’s. He wrote: “Thanks to the efforts of Secretary of State @DmytroKuleba, companies like @McDonalds restaurants reopened their doors in Ukraine a year ago. The United States and our allies and partners will remain united with Ukraine for as long as it takes. “
See the message here:
Thanks to the Minister of Foreign Affairs @DmytroKuleba‘s efforts, companies like @McDonald’s Restaurants reopened their doors in Ukraine a year ago. The United States and our allies and partners will remain united with Ukraine for as long as it takes. pic.twitter.com/x4qhw6V5FN
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) September 6, 2023
Blinken is on a two-day trip to Ukraine, the first by a top US official since the Kiev counter-offensive began in early June, according to a Reuters report.
Talking to reporters as they ate, Kuleba recalled telling Blinken over the phone after the Russian invasion how important it would be for the fast food chain to return to Ukraine.
“The secretary said he heard me and he will look closely at what can be done,” Kuleba said. A few days later, his team received a call from the US embassy about the request, he said.
“I think having McDonald’s in the country is a message: a message of confidence… This is how McDonald’s comeback started – in the phone call. And that’s why we’re here tonight.”
The world’s largest hamburger chain closed its restaurants in Ukraine and Russia in March 2022, following Moscow’s invasion of the Eastern European country, Reuters reported.
But in September 2022, it reopened some branches in Ukraine, while the US company in Russia sold its branches. They reopened in June 2022 under a new Russian brand name.