US Secretary of State Antony Blinken showed his support for a beloved Ukrainian pizzeria, founded by a military veteran, during an unexpected trip to Kyiv on Tuesday. Joined by his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken enjoyed a slice at "Veterano Pizza," a restaurant with a military theme, complete with a tabletop adorned with empty bullet casings. Commenting on the pizza, Blinken, acknowledging the American reputation for pizza expertise, praised the quality, saying, "As someone who knows a thing or two about pizza -- like most Americans -- I can attest that the pizza here is outstanding. I highly, highly recommend it." The two leaders shared both a meat pizza, dubbed "Ukrainian pizza" by the establishment, and a vegetarian option. In a light-hearted moment, Kuleba referenced a previous meeting where they had shared fries at McDonald's when it reopened in Kyiv last September. He explained that this time, he insisted on showcasing a Ukrainian restaurant to address social media criticism about not patronizing local establishments. "Some people criticized me on social media for taking you to McDonald's instead of a Ukrainian place. So now we are making it right," Kuleba remarked to reporters. Blinken's visit to Kyiv came shortly after Washington approved a substantial $61 billion aid package for Ukraine.