“Putin is a mentally ill man who wants to build a Russian empire.” The Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, expressed this assessment on Saturday evening after a meeting with Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) in the Ukrainian capital. “But we are not fascists,” the former world boxing champion countered Russian propaganda, “we fight for Ukraine as a democratic and European country and for everyone in Europe.”
Ukraine is a peaceful country that voluntarily gave up its nuclear weapons a few years ago, the mayor said. Thanks are now due to “War and Genocide”. “Our dream is to be part of the European family and we are paying for that now.” However, instability in Ukraine means “instability in Europe”. Therefore, we must fight together – for example through economic sanctions by western states against Russia – to end the war. Sanctions are important. “Because every money that goes to Russia has Ukrainian blood on it. Every cent, every euro goes to the Russian army. And thanks to this funding, we have terrible pictures from Ukraine.”
“It could be everyone”
In Russia there is no freedom of the press and only “manipulation”, criticized Klitschko. This explains why, according to surveys, 70 percent of the population would continue to support the war and Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, it is the biggest war in Europe since the Second World War and does not only affect Ukraine, according to the mayor. “It can hit anyone in Europe.” The fact that Chancellor Nehammer visited Ukraine on Saturday was therefore a courageous decision, praised Klitschko. “A rocket can always explode in Kyiv.”