Klitschko thinks Putin wants to conquer Ukraine: 'I hope the German government hears us'

Created: 02/17/2022, 22:10

By: Andreas Schmid

Vitali Klitschko on Thursday in Munich.

© as

Vitali Klitschko is a guest in Munich.

In a media round with Merkur.de, the mayor of Kiev commented on the threat of Russia invading Ukraine.

Munich – Vitali Klitschko is currently in the Bavarian capital.

The Mayor of Kiev visits the Munich Security Conference (Siko).

A visit to the state parliament is also part of the tight schedule of the former world boxing champion and current politician.

He previously spoke in a media round about the escalating Ukraine conflict.

Vitali Klitschko in Munich: "The soldiers are not standing at the border for nothing"

Klitschko has "great doubts" that the Russian announcements of a troop withdrawal can be trusted.

"Russia plays its own game." He assumes that Putin wants to conquer Ukraine.

The risk of that happening is great.

“The soldiers are not standing at the border for nothing.

They want to attack.” One has had “bad experiences” with Russian soldiers.

“I'm talking about the annexation of Crimea, I'm talking about the annexation of large parts of Luhansk and Donetsk (Ukrainian territories near the Russian border).

I'm talking about 13,000 Ukrainians who died in this war.”

Then the voice of the two-meter man rises, Klitschko becomes emotional: "This war in eastern Ukraine would never have happened without financial support, without arms deliveries from Russia, without propaganda and brainwashing."

Klitschko on the Ukriane conflict: "I hope the German government will hear us"

Klitschko described a Russian invasion of Ukraine as a nightmare.

That's why they need support - including militarily.

"Without support, it will be difficult for us." Then the 50-year-old, who lived in Germany for a long time, thanked "all the countries that are on our side and support us financially.

We are very grateful to the countries that support us with defensive weapons.” This did not mean Germany.

Although the Federal Republic has been the largest donor to Ukraine since 2014

(for which Klitschko thanked), it does not want to send any weapons, including defensive weapons, to crisis areas.

In the past, Klitschko had criticized the German attitude as a failure to provide assistance and described the delivery of 5,000 helmets as an "absolute joke".

Now the mayor of Kiev followed suit.

You are facing one of the largest armies and therefore need modern weapons.

“Defensive weapons, I want to emphasize.

We don't attack anyone, we defend our country.” Klitschko then addressed his word to the federal government.

"I hope the German government will hear us." He called for German politicians to reconsider their no to arms exports.

That is "the big question".

“We want to defend our country with defensive weapons.

With the help of our friends it would be much easier.”

Kiev's mayor Vitali Klitschko sharply criticized the federal government for its no to arms deliveries to Ukraine.

(Archive image) © Jan Woitas/dpa

Klitschko on Nord Stream 2: "Sanctions are effective to stop the aggressor"

Ukraine must now be strong and demonstrate this strength to the outside world.

“Strong with defensive weapons, strong with the support of European countries, strong with sanctions.” When asked by

whether these sanctions should also affect the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Klitschko said.

"I understand that sanctions can be economically damaging for other European countries, but they are an effective way to stop the aggressor." Nord Stream 2 brings Russian gas to Germany via underwater pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

If you give Russia financial opportunities through such projects, you strengthen the country, says Klitschko.

"The Russians invest the money in their military."

Klitschko speaks about the "main reason" of the conflict: "We don't want to go back to the Soviet Union"

Hardly anyone currently knows what is going on in the head of Russian President Vladimir Putin*.

What does the Kremlin boss want?

According to Klitschko, he wanted the Soviet Union to be rebuilt.

That is the “main reason for the conflict.” Ukraine is “a modern, democratic, European country”.

Putin doesn't like that.

"It doesn't fit the vision of the Russian government." Ukraine, however, "does not want to go back to the Soviet Union.

That is clearly our message.”

The mayor sees Ukraine, the second largest country in Europe in terms of area, as "part of the European family".

In 2010 Klitschko became party leader of the then newly founded pro-Western party UDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform).

The 50-year-old was an important, because influential, man in the Euromaidan protests in 2013, the pro-European demonstrations in Ukraine.

In Munich, Klitschko, who has been mayor of Kiev since 2014, says: "We don't want a Russian-Soviet empire."

Ukraine conflict comes to a head: Klitschko - "everyone hopes for a peaceful solution"

The Ukraine conflict is increasingly coming to a head.

After the invasion of Russia feared by the US for Wednesday (February 16) failed to materialize, Moscow announced that it would withdraw troops.

In the West, however, there are doubts about the extent to which these statements can be trusted.

Despite all the assurances from Moscow, US President Joe Biden fears a Russian invasion of Ukraine "in the next few days".

The risk is "very high".

According to the United Nations, the situation is more tense than it was during the Crimean invasion.

Appropriately for the upcoming security conference in Munich, Klitschko said: “Security is currently the most important topic.

Not just for us in Ukraine, but for the whole world.” In the face of an impending Russian invasion, “the entire security architecture” could collapse.

"Every Ukrainian hopes for a peaceful, diplomatic solution to the tensions." They are ready for joint talks that will help resolve the conflict.