The former boxing champion says his country wants to be part of the European Union, even if Russia wants to rebuild the Soviet Empire.
ADVERTISEMENTThe mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko has made an impassioned plea for the West to step up supplies of weapons to help his country defend itself from Russian aggression.
"With these [defensive weapons], we defend our country" said the former world heavyweight boxing champion.
Klitschko told Euronews international correspondent Anelise Borges that although there were signs of normal life returning to his city, it was still in the shadow of Russia's war.
The mayor said said that Russia launched it's invasion because of Kyiv's desire to join the European Union.
"It's no secret that Putin wants to rebuild [the] Soviet Empire," said Klitschko, adding that Moscow "does not accept our will".
"We never was aggressive, and I'm more than sure we will never be aggressive to anyone. Peaceful people live here in Ukraine".
"Human rights is our priority. Democracy and European standards [are] our goal. We Ukrainians are actually European geographically, with our mentality, with our history".
"We don't want [to be] back [in] the USSR...we don't want to live in a country without human rights"