McDonald's says it's planning to reopen some restaurants in Ukraine

McDonald's said Thursday that it is planning a phased reopening of some of its restaurants in Ukranian.

The fast-food company said in a message posted to its website that it will work over the next few months to get product back to the restaurants, bring back employees and physically prepare its locations in westernUkraine to start serving customers again. The post did not say how many locations would be reopening.

McDonald's said in February that it would stop doing business inUkraine after Russia invaded the country.

"We've spoken extensively to our employees who have expressed a strong desire to return to work and see our restaurants in Ukraine reopen, where it is safe and responsible to do so," said Paul Pomroy, the corporate senior vice president of international operated markets. The belief that this would support a small but important sense of normal has grown stronger.

McDonald's established an employee relief fund and continued to pay the salaries of more than 10,000 Ukrainian employees.

McDonald's stopped operations in Russia in May after selling its businesses to an existing licensee.