McDonald's says it is temporarily closing 850 restaurants in Russia in response to the Ukraine invasion. Starbucks, which has fairly small business exposure in the region, followed suit and said it was suspending all business in Russia. The burger giant said it will continue paying its 62,000 employees in Russia “who have poured their heart and soul into our McDonald’s brand.” But in an open letter to employees, McDonald’s President and CEO Chris Kempckinski said closing those stores for now is the right thing to do. “Our values mean we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine,” Kempczinski said. Kempczinski said it’s impossible to know when the company will be able to reopen its stores. “The situation is extraordinarily challenging for a global brand like ours, and there are many considerations,” Kempczinski wrote in the letter. McDonald’s works with hundreds of Russian suppliers, for example, and serves millions of customers each day.