> Support the War Effort: Have some Borscht And Make A Donation

Ryan Sutton, Eater New York:

The line to get into Veselka in the East Village is long these days. It sometimes stretches down East Ninth Street and wraps around Second Avenue. This is not unexpected, as the pierogi-slinging diner now functions as a rallying point for solidarity with Ukraine amid an unprovoked Russian war against the Eastern European country. On Saturday, at least one party displayed “Free Ukraine” signs as they waited; others brandished mini blue-and-white flags.

What’s a bit more unexpected, however, are the yellow flyers on each table, displaying two QR codes. They are not, as is the case so often during the pandemic, links to online menus. The flyers instead direct patrons to sites where they can support the Ukrainian army, helping supply them with lethal aid to repel the superpower bombing their residential neighborhoods, killing their civilians, and forcing the displacement of over half a million people to nearby countries.

New Yorkers have patronized Veselka for nearly 70 years, occasionally for trendy reasons — to relive moments from Gossip Girl or Ocean’s 8 — but normally for the purpose of enjoying affordable Ukrainian and American fare. Think: Hot bowls of crimson borscht; steaming pierogies filled with potato, sauerkraut, and short rib; and what I’m told is a pretty good burger. As Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression continues, however, the restaurant has transformed into a cultural hub of a different sort, nourishing folks seeking reminders of their besieged homeland, and letting those not of Eastern European descent find a space to channel their empathy and support as well.

This is one fo the thing I love about New York. Whether we know you or not, we got you. Veselka is one of my favorite spots to grab something when I’m nearby and sometimes I’ll make the trip for no good reason. It’s great food and I love that people have come together in support of Ukraine and the atrocities going on there.

Veselka’s call to raise funds, by contrast, is a bit more blunt than some of its peers. The moment you see a menu, you’re also greeted with a call to aid the army of a country under attack. One of the QR codes, for the non-profit Razom, leads to a link that lets folks transfer money to help Ukrainians procure ammunition. Other links are for helping citizens buy military-grade vests, helmets, and tactical medical backpacks.

Purchasing deadly weapons of war are likely not what some folks expect to read before tucking into a giant mound of holubtsi, a classic Ukrainian dish of meat stuffed cabbage slathered in mushroom gravy. Then again, eating a meal in complete mental peace sometimes comes second to, well, literally everything else. “We gotta get the word out,” owner Jason Birchard told me during a phone interview on Friday. “It’s not just a war against Ukraine; it’s a war against the free world.”

It’s a great idea and gets people involved. Slipping you one of these cards is not at all subtle and that’s not a bad thing as sometimes people need things put in their faces to be reminded of the reality of things. Don’t just come in for some food because Ukraine is the news right now but put your money where your mouth is. It does seem hyperbolic to make the statement that this is a war against the free world but in reality it’s not. Without getting into International Relations, the international order is often described as “anarchic” at best and this is a perfect example of that. What matters is how countries and alliances handle that anarchy.

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