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Natalia Klitschko (in May 2022 at the »Sound for Peace« concert in Berlin): »Shaped by mutual respect«
Photo: Christian Mang / REUTERS
Vitali and Natalia Klitschko got married in Kyiv in April 1996.
The couple has two sons and a daughter, the children are 17 to 22 years old, and now want to divorce.
"In recent years we have lived more and more apart, also because of the physical distance," wrote the 48-year-old on Instagram for a photo that shows the two together.
»We raised three wonderful children and together we will be parents to them forever.
There is still a friendly relationship between Vitali and me, which is characterized by mutual respect.«
She is "grateful for everything we have experienced in the last 25 years," Natalia Klitschko continued.
Divorce is a "conscious, balanced and amicable decision".
Now "new chapters in our lives" begin.
The mayor of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv had previously made a similar statement.
The divorce is "the wish of both sides," the 51-year-old told the Ukrainian website "Babel."
His estranged wife, who moved to Hamburg years ago, and he still have a good relationship and respect each other.
"The children are already grown and life goes on," said the ex-boxing world champion, who has been mayor of Kyiv since 2014, which has now been defending itself against a Russian war of aggression for almost six months.
It's no secret that Natalia and he have been living in different countries for years, said Klitschko.
Before entering Ukrainian politics, Vitali Klitschko was a multiple world heavyweight boxing champion.
Together with his brother Wladimir, who is five years his junior, he dominated professional boxing for years.
The Klitschkos are particularly closely connected to the city of Hamburg, where their world boxing careers began.
wit/dpa
