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Top diplomats of US, Ukraine grab McDonald's fries to celebrate Kiev chain

Ukrainian FM Dmytro Kuleba and his American counterpart Antony Blinken celebrate return of US fast-food chain to Ukraine following Russian offensive in February 2022.

AFP

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba [L] and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speak as they eat at McDonald's in Kiev. / Photo: AFP

Over large fries and a cherry pie, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has credited his American counterpart Antony Blinken with helping get the US fast-food restaurant McDonald's [MCD.N] to reopen in Ukraine after Russia's military offensive.

The two top diplomats grabbed a quick bite at a McDonald's in Kiev on Wednesday before a joint news conference and after Blinken met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Blinken is on a two-day trip to Ukraine, the first by a top US official since Kiev's counteroffensive began in early June.

Speaking to reporters while they ate, Kuleba recalled how he told Blinken by phone after Russia's offensive how important it would be for the fast-food chain to return to Ukraine.

"The secretary said he heard me, and he will look hard at what can be done," Kuleba said.

A few days later, his team received a phone 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 the comeback of McDonald's started — in the phone conversation. And this is why we're here tonight."

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Reopening in Ukraine, Russia

The world's biggest burger chain closed its restaurants in Ukraine and Russia in March 2022, following Moscow's military offensive against the eastern European country.

But it reopened some branches in Ukraine in September 2022, while in Russia, the US company sold its outlets.

They reopened in June 2022 under new Russian branding.

Blinken said McDonald's was eager to come back to Ukraine, and the two diplomats wanted to mark the food chain's return with a quick visit.

"We've been saying to each other ... the next time I was in Kiev, we should get a chance to stop by," Blinken said.

"I think I have a real interest in getting some French fries," he said next to Kuleba.

Blinken earlier told Zelenskyy that Washington would "maximise" efforts to support Ukraine as it pushed ahead with its counteroffensive against Russian troops in the east and south.