Blinken tastes pizza at Ukraine war veteran's restaurant

STORY: :: Antony Blinken and Dmytro Kuleba taste a 'Ukrainian' pizza at a restaurant founded by a war veteran

:: May 14, 2024

:: Kyiv, Ukraine

:: Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister

:: "I am pleased to inform you that we enjoyed two Ukrainian pizzas. One of them is actually called 'Ukrainian.' And we had a productive conversation over this meal. Last time Tony and I went to McDonald's in Kyiv which reopened its doors in Ukraine. But some people criticized me on social media that I took you to McDonald's, not to Ukrainian place. So now we are correcting this and complementing McDonald's with a pizza place that was founded by Ukrainian veterans and became a legendary place already. I hope you enjoyed the pizzas because you definitely have more experience in trying pies all over the world."

:: Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State

:: "Well, I have to say some of the most knowledgeable person about pizza is mostly Americans are. The pizza here is superb, I highly, highly recommend it. The "Ukrainian" pizza as you called was excellent, could not have been better. And look, I think it's appropriate that yes, we went to McDonald's last time, now a Ukrainian pizza place, next time we'll have to figure out what cuisine to try. But I could not be more pleased that my friend has taken me on this culinary tour of Kyiv that I expect to continue in the months and years ahead."

The two visited "Veterano Pizza" restaurant founded by a war veteran where they were served Ukrainian variation of pizza with ham and onion.

Blinken arrived in Kyiv by train early on Tuesday morning on the previously undisclosed visit, which comes days after Russia launched a ground incursion into the north of the region of Kharkiv, opening a new front and stretching Ukraine's soldiers.

Kyiv has been on the back foot on the battlefield for months as Russian troops have slowly advanced, taking advantage of Ukraine's shortages of troop manpower and artillery shells.