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Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko

Photo: Björn Trotsky / IMAGO

Two years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko praised German military aid, but at the same time called for additional weapons systems.

For his country, "one of the most important questions" is whether Germany will deliver the requested Taurus cruise missiles, said Klitschko.

»We are defending our country.

And that's why we need Taurus.

We can use this to destroy the Russians' military logistics. He expects a positive decision from the federal government.

Last May, Ukraine requested Taurus cruise missiles with high accuracy and a range of 500 kilometers from the federal government.

It wants to hit Russian positions and material depots far behind the front line.

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In October, Chancellor Scholz temporarily rejected a delivery.

The fear behind this is that the missiles could hit Russian territory and Germany could be drawn into the conflict.

The Bundestag will address the issue on Thursday.

"The danger is there, the danger is great"

Klitschko emphasized again that Ukraine is fighting not only for its own existence, but also for Europe.

»Everyone must understand: We defend each of you.

Putin goes as far as we allow him to go.

The danger is there, the danger is great."

Kiev's mayor expressed his appreciation that Germany is now doing a lot for Ukraine in terms of military aid.

“Germany has finally woken up and is helping us a lot,” he said.

But more is needed.

"We fight for you and we defend you and everyone has to understand that too," he said.

"It would be a huge mistake to think that the war is far away, that doesn't affect me."

The former boxing world champion appealed to all other allies to stand by Ukraine.

»Each finger is pretty strong.

But if all fingers come together, we will become tens of times stronger." He described the impasse in the US Congress over approving further military aid for Ukraine as a "huge danger to democracy."

»We can't lose.

Because otherwise the whole democratic world will lose.”

Zelensky praises shooting down of seven Russian fighter jets

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the air force for shooting down seven Russian fighter jets.

The Sukhoi fighter jets were shot down within a week, the head of state said in his evening video message broadcast on Wednesday.

The most important tasks in the war include protecting the airspace and positions at the front from Russian air and missile attacks.

Ahead of the second anniversary of the start of the war, Zelensky also announced new major security agreements with Ukraine's allies.

Among other things, it is about defense aid for the soldiers and very specific financial guarantees for the state, said Zelensky.

He didn't give any details.

Most recently, Ukraine concluded security agreements with Great Britain, Germany and France.

The president announced that more should follow in the coming weeks.

Baerbock calls on Lavrov to end the war

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock addressed her Russian colleague Sergei Lavrov directly at the meeting of the G20 foreign ministers of the leading economic powers and called for an end to the war in Ukraine.

"If you care about human lives, if you care about your own people, Russian children and young people, you must end this war now," said the Green politician in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, directly addressing Lavrov, who was sitting three seats to her left .

"If Russia were to end this war now, the path to peace and justice tomorrow would be wide open," she added.

Addressing the other members of the group, Baerbock appealed: "If we want to build a 'just world', we have to tackle wars and crises together.

Determined, respectful and with a willingness to self-reflect. She respects the different perspectives on the war in Ukraine.

A country 10,000 kilometers away from Kiev perceives a different security threat than a country in Europe.

But “Russia’s aggression is more than a regional conflict.” The Russian war of aggression “calls on us all to resolutely defend the fundamental principles that protect us all: the United Nations Charter, international law and human rights.

These principles protect all nations, no matter how large or small.”

In addition to Germany, France and the USA, the G20 round also includes Russia and China, among others.

mfh/dpa