Johnson immortalised in pastry by grateful Ukrainian cafe
BY LATE morning, hungry customers in search of Kyiv’s latest delicacy were left sorely disappointed – the “Boris Johnson” croissant was so popular it had already sold out.
“You can wait 30 minutes for the next batch, but if you’re really hungry we can serve you the ‘lend-lease’ burger,” Illia, a cashier at Cafe Zavertailo, said.
The lend-lease was named after an act of the US Congress to supply aid to the Ukrainian government in response to the Russian invasion, but it is the café’s newest politically themed item that has been making headlines in Kyiv.
“Boris Johnson is not just a prime minister but is also now a croissant,” announced Cafe Zavertailo on its Instagram account, instantly generating more than 3,000 likes.
Illia said the treat, which was inspired by English apple pie and topped with a torched meringue and vanilla ice cream to resemble Mr Johnson’s unruly hairdo, was created as a show of thanks for the Prime Minister’s support of Ukraine.
Maxim Mokhort, 26, a local historian and croissant aficionado, said he was eager to try the snack and relieved that Mr Johnson had survived Monday’s vote of confidence.
He said: “My third cousin once shook the hand of Boris Johnson. I really like him. He is a much better Prime Minister than previous ones. He really reminds me of Winston Churchill and I would love to try the croissant.”
Many Ukrainians, buoyed by the UK’S strong backing of their efforts against Russia, have been watching the machinations of the Conservative Party, concerned that the ousting of Mr Johnson could distract the Government or reduce British support for their cause.
The Prime Minister has become a local hero for many in Ukraine – in the town of Fontanka, on the outskirts of
Odesa, the local council has named a street after him. In Irpin, a town bordering Kyiv, local defence forces gave a thumbs-up at the mention of his name.
Andriy, a 35-year-old furniture salesman who did not wish to give his full name, said: “He’s a cool guy. We all support him and it was a good move for him to come to Kyiv to show his support.
“I was worried when I heard about the vote of no confidence. We’d like him to come here to meet us.”
Admiration for the Prime Minister reaches to the highest levels of the Ukrainian government.
Minutes after Monday’s vote, Mikhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, tweeted: “Leadership is always a heavy burden. [Boris Johnson] was one of the first who real- ised the menace of [Russia] & stood by [Volodymyr Zelensky] to protect the free world from barbaric invasion.
“The UK is a great friend of [Ukraine]. [The British] crown is a shield of the democratic world.”
The croissant was denounced on Instagram by Olga Skabeyeva, a Russian state media presenter described by critics as the “iron doll of Putin TV”.
In response, the café said: “If her a-- is burning because of this croissant then we did a good job.”