The St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and the Minneapolis Regional Chamber have made no secret of how difficult it is to keep a dues-based association afloat in an era where many employers have gone virtual and are more prone to sell their services online and around the world than within their local geography.

Is it time for them to merge? The question, which has been raised more than once across the St. Paul Chamber’s 157 years in operation, has resurfaced, this time with more organizational energy and public process.

Jeff DeYoung, a recently retired partner from the Baker Tilly accounting firm, told a crowd of more than 700 onlookers during the St. Paul Chamber’s annual dinner at the downtown RiverCentre on Thursday that the St. Paul and Minneapolis chambers formed a joint task force to debate the pros and cons of a possible merger. The task force, which met for the first time on Wednesday, also will consider whether the two chambers might remain independent of each other but share certain services, such as information technology.

“It could be that we stay separate and we decide that there’s some joint things that we’re going to work on together,” DeYoung said. “This has been a conversation that a lot of you have had … why do we have so many business chambers? Why do we have so many business associations?”

“Are we at a point where we now look at things from a Twin Cities and community perspective, versus one side of the river or the other? … Or do we want to stay in our separate areas?” he added. “We know that we have to keep a local presence, and we’ve heard that loud and clear. We’re not going to abandon that.”

Regional focus?

DeYoung said members of the task force brought a variety of views to the table, from those gung-ho for a merger to those opposed. The subject of a possible chamber merger has been broached before, with members in 2010 raising concern that west metro priorities would overshadow St. Paul issues. Bloomington and Minneapolis maintain a larger tax base than St. Paul and east metro suburbs like Maplewood, and a growing number of large employers have left downtown St. Paul to head westward.

Among them, the design and engineering firm TKDA left the capital city and moved to Old Shakopee Road in Bloomington, relocating some 300 employees from the UBS Tower at the Town Square complex on Cedar and Minnesota streets. Cray, Inc., the supercomputer company, left downtown St. Paul for Bloomington around 2016.

While St. Paul and Minneapolis mayors may advocate side-by-side for public transit, affordable housing and other regional interests, questions around the fate of particular sports teams and where their stadiums might land have sometimes set east metro and west metro political interests against each other.

Still, both chambers could benefit from fewer overhead costs or other economies of scale.

To stay afloat financially, the St. Paul Chamber has in recent years staffed and hosted smaller business advocacy organizations like the Minnesota Hmong Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce, while also offering its WorkStream consulting services to business retention programs in suburbs like Maplewood and Roseville.

The Minneapolis Chamber launched an investigation of its own finances last year after projecting a $500,000 deficit, leading to the abrupt resignation of longstanding president and chief executive officer Jonathan Weinhagen.

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By STEFANIE DAZIO and SUSIE BLANN

BERLIN (AP) — European leaders pledged late Friday to stand by Ukraine in the wake of the contentious Oval Office meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with their statements in support of their neighbor on the continent ensuring a deepening transatlantic rift.

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European leaders already were shaken by Vance’s speech to the Munich Security Conference two weeks ago in which he lectured them about the state of their democracy. As prime ministers and presidents across the continent scrambled to respond, they have held a series of emergency summits to discuss security.

Another major summit is scheduled for Sunday in London, hosted by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. More than a dozen European and EU leaders, including Zelenskyy, will gather for a meeting meant to drive forward action on Ukraine and security.

The leaders’ comments Friday largely did not mention Trump or Vance, but rather sought to assure Ukraine of their support as the war with Russia enters its fourth year. Zelenskyy re-posted their comments on X, writing “thank you for your support” to each — likely a dig at the Trump administration.

During the extraordinary meeting Friday in Washington, Trump chided Zelenskyy after Vance, one of the administration’s most skeptical voices on Ukraine, said he was being disrespectful for debating Trump in the Oval Office in front of the American media.

“Have you said ‘thank you’ once?” Vance asked Zelenskyy.

The Ukrainian president said four times during the course of their exchange that he was thankful or had already expressed his thanks.

Trump then called off the signing of a minerals deal that he said would have moved Ukraine closer to ending its war with Russia. Zelenskyy left the White House shortly after Trump shouted at him, showing open disdain. The White House said the Ukrainian delegation was told to leave.

A senior Ukrainian official said Zelenskyy spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and President of the European Council Antonio Costa after he left the White House, describing all the conversations as “supportive” of the Ukrainian leader. The official, who is familiar with the matter, requested anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.

Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni, however, proposed “an immediate summit” between the United States and European allies “to speak frankly about how we intend to face today’s great challenges, starting with Ukraine.” She urged the West to stay united.

“Every division of the West makes us all weaker and favors those who would like to see the decline of our civilization,” she said. “A division would not benefit anyone.”

Some posts on X were directed to Zelenskyy. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told him “your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people. Be strong, be brave, be fearless. You are never alone, dear President.”

And Friedrich Merz, Germany’s likely next chancellor, wrote: “Dear Volodymyr @zelenskyyua, we stand with #Ukraine in good and in testing times. We must never confuse aggressor and victim in this terrible war.”

The victory for Merz’s party Sunday in Germany’s national election ensured that Ukraine has an even stronger supporter in the European Union’s largest country. Merz during the campaign promised to unite Europe in the face of challenges from both Russia and the United States.

But Alice Weidel, co-leader of the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party and one of Merz’s challengers, wrote “Historic. Trump & Vance!” on X with a link to a video of the meeting. AfD’s platform calls for the immediate lifting of sanctions against Russia and opposes weapons deliveries to Ukraine. Weidel also met with Vance in Munich. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán praised Trump for his conduct in the Oval Office, casting Zelenskyy as working against peace in his own country.

“Strong men make peace, weak men make war,” Orbán wrote on X. “Today President Donald Trump stood bravely for peace. Even if it was difficult for many to digest. Thank you, Mr. President!”

Orbán is a consistent backer of the Kremlin and has been outspokenly antagonistic against neighboring Ukraine. After winning the last Hungarian elections in 2022, less than six weeks after Russia’s full-scale invasion, he cited Zelenskyy as one of the opponents he had defeated in the campaign.

Meanwhile in Estonia, which borders Russia, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the only obstacle to peace is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to continue the war.

“It is time for Europe to step up,” Tsahkna said in a statement. “We do not need to wait for something else to happen; Europe has enough resources, including Russia’s frozen assets, to enable Ukraine to continue fighting.”

And Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s reminded Ukraine of what’s at stake for the Nordic and Baltic countries, and others, if Russia’s aggression spreads.

“You are not only fighting for your freedom but also for all of Europe’s,” Kristersson wrote on X. European officials from Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Spain, among others, also offered their support to Ukraine.

Blann reported from Kyiv. Associated Press writer Justin Spike in Kyiv contributed reporting.

A St. Paul man was charged with second-degree murder on Friday after authorities say he stabbed his wife at their Summit-University residence.

Kedu Husen Buseri (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)

During questioning Kedu Husen Buseri, 34, reportedly told authorities he had killed his wife, who authorities identified Friday as Sefiya Churiso Datu, 29.

The criminal complaint alleges the following details:

At about 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday, authorities say, Buseri called 911 and said that “someone died” and that “someone killed his wife” before hanging up.

When police arrived at his home in the 400 block of Central Avenue  authorities report that Buseri answered the door with his hands covered in blood and blood spatter on the front of his shirt, shoes, jacket and face. He also reportedly had a small cut on one hand.

“She cut me …  I cut her,” authorities allege that Buseri said.

Officers searched the house and found Datu in the basement, lying on the floor and wrapped in a blanket. Her eyes were open and her breathing was shallow but she did not respond to officers speaking to her.

The couple’s infant child was on the bed nearby; although officers found blood on the baby, the child was not injured.

When officers rolled Datu over, they saw she was covered in blood and had a large cut to her throat, her face and her bicep.

Datu was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead shortly after at 3:33 p.m.

Busseri, who was arrested, was taken to the hospital and treated for the cut to his hand. It did not require stitches.

During questioning, Buseri said he and his wife argued after he accused her of being unfaithful. It was during this argument,he claims, that they cut each other with knives.

When asked if he had killed his wife, Buseri said, “Yes,” according to the criminal complaint.

The woman’s homicide was the first of the year in St. Paul. There had been four at this time last year.

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Fat Tuesday is celebrated on March 4. It is called Fat Tuesday because, on this last day of Mardi Gras, people stuff themselves with rich foods before the beginning of 40 days of fasting for Lent. A tradition is to eat King Cake (with a tiny plastic baby Jesus as a prize).

So, what is King Cake? It is an oval or ring-shaped sweet yeast bread that sometimes contains a filling and is typically decorated with vibrant purple, green, and gold sugar or icing. Here is my riff on this traditional, labor-intensive cake. My version does not have a filling (or a tiny plastic baby), but I think you will like it just the same.

DOUGH INGREDIENTS

1 packet active dry yeast (¼-ounce)

¼ cup warm water

¼ cup granulated sugar (divided)

½ cup warm milk

¼ cup unsalted butter (softened)

1 large egg

¾ teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (chopped)

2 teaspoons grated orange zest (chopped)

2¼ cups bread flour

½ cup golden raisins

Egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water)

DOUGH DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in one teaspoon of sugar and let stand until foamy (about five to ten minutes).

3. In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture, warm milk, a balance of sugar, butter, egg, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond extract, lemon zest, and orange zest. Blend in 1½ cups of flour. Gradually add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft, workable dough.

4. Knead the dough until smooth and springy, about five minutes. Add raisins and knead for one minute more. Place dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about two hours.

5. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a 24-inch-long rope. Braid the two ropes together. As you braid, be sure that you are pulling the strands gently taut to make a neat and even braid; otherwise, your cake may bulge in some areas. Bring the ends together to form an oval, pinching the ends to seal.

6. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a towel and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in bulk, about one hour.

7. Brush the dough with the egg wash and bake until golden brown (about 25 to 30 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

ICING INGREDIENTS

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)

¼ teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon milk

4 tablespoons yellow-colored sugar

4 tablespoons green-colored sugar

4 tablespoons purple-colored sugar

ICING DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, stir the confectioners’ sugar, butter, almond extract, and enough milk until smooth and pourable. Drizzle or spread the icing over the cake. Add colored sugar.

Tip: Decorating a King Cake neatly can be tricky and messy. I use a pastry brush to apply icing to one section, then sprinkle with colored sugar, let dry, and move on to the next section.

Randy Graham is a private chef and author whose cookbooks include “The Ojai Valley Cookbook,” “The Ojai Valley Vegetarian” and the “The Ojai Valley Vegan.” He has been a vegetarian since 1975 and enjoys cooking for friends and family using ingredients from backyard vegetable and herb gardens.

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