On July 14, US President Donald Trump gave his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin another 50 days to reach a peace deal with Ukraine. He also threatened to impose secondary tariffs on Russia’s trading partners if the ceasefire failed to materialize. DW spoke to Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko about what he thinks Ukraine needs in order to protect itself and the challenges the Ukrainian capital faces today.
DW: Mr. Klitschko, Donald Trump has given Vladimir Putin a new deadline and at the same time opened up the possibility of supplying Ukraine with new weapons. What is your assessment of the US president’s proposals?
Vitali Klitschko: I don’t understand why they’ve been given these 50 days now. During these 50 days, the Russians can gather up strength. During these 50 days, the Russians can kill even more civilians. I am convinced that tough sanctions have to be imposed, as this would act as a deterrent.
I am convinced that we too should make use of this period. We believe that during these 50 days we’ll be able to obtain even more of the modern weapons that we lack, from our partners. And we are grateful to our partners.
I am convinced that Putin only understands the language of force. He respects those who are strong and doesn’t care about the weak. So we must be strong. Only together, and by joining forces, can we be strong. We are counting on our partners for more support, tough sanctions and arms supplies.
Trump also promised to deliver additional weapons, including new Patriot air defense systems. You said previously that Kyiv is protected by only two such systems. Russia’s most recent attacks, which involved hundreds of drones and missiles, are a sign that this air defense is insufficient. What additional protection does Kyiv need?
I am not currently prepared to disclose how many Patriot and other air defense systems we have. One thing I can say is that we’ll only be able to say “enough” when the war is over. Today, our city and other cities in Ukraine are constantly exposed to massive combined attacks. Air defense is a key challenge for every city — not just the capital.
Hundreds of buildings have been damaged in KyivImage: Valentyn Ogirenko/REUTERS
‘Today in Ukraine, everyone is risking their lives’
More effort is needed to deal with the consequences of the massive attacks of the past weeks…
How can we deal with the consequences when more than 30 people lost their lives last week? They cannot be brought back. Buildings have been destroyed, and it will take months, perhaps years, to rebuild them. We are doing our best to help everyone who requires assistance but our resources are limited. I’ll admit openly that despite modern technology and weapons, we won’t be able to fully guarantee the safety of everyone in the capital and the other cities of Ukraine if these massive attacks continue. Today in Ukraine, everyone is risking their lives. There can be a drone strike at any moment and new victims. That is why every Ukrainian has only one wish, and one question: When will this end?
We hope to be able to end the war through diplomatic means. But let’s be honest. The diplomatic route doesn’t suit Putin, or even many Ukrainians. We’ll never say that the part of Ukraine currently occupied by Russia no longer belongs to the Ukrainians. It is our country, our state, that we are defending. It’s very difficult to agree to give up part of our territory. Yes, that would be a so-called “compromise” but still…
Could US Patriot systems be a gamechanger for Ukraine?
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Russia wants to ‘spread panic’
How would you assess the total damage inflicted on Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion? Do you have any figures?
More than 1,600 residential buildings have been destroyed. More than 300 civilians have been killed. The total number of destroyed buildings is about 3,000. There has been destruction in all of the city’s districts. I’ve asked myself this crucial question more than once: What is the point of attacking a peaceful city and killing peaceful people? To destroy critical infrastructure, to deprive people of electricity, water and heating? I’ve thought about this long and hard. There is only one answer: To spread panic, to trigger depression and fear in people so that they all pack their bags, go somewhere in Europe, leave the country, and leave it to the attacker. There is no other answer to this question.
How is the reconstruction progressing in Kyiv? Where does the money for it come from?
It is mainly money from the city’s budget. We are also applying for funds from the state budget. To rebuild destroyed buildings for example. If the damage is so extensive that people cannot live somewhere, we pay their rent. We provide assistance when kindergartens and schools are destroyed, and so far over 200 educational facilities have been destroyed. Children must go to school, and the local budget has to shoulder the cost, which is a lot of money. We are now building air-raid shelters, something we have never done before — the war has forced us into doing this. Of course, the situation is difficult. The economy is not working, the logistical infrastructure has been destroyed, and there is a shortage of labor for reconstruction, as hundreds of thousands of people have been mobilized to defend the country. We face numerous challenges, the greatest of which is the restoration of lifesaving systems.
This interview was conducted by Olga Tikhomirova. The transcript was translated from German.
