Vitali Klitschko

Klitschko (2014)

Vitali Volodymyrovych Klitschko (Ukrainian: Віта́лій Володи́мирович Кличко́; born 19 July 1971) is a Ukrainian politician and former professional boxer who serves as mayor of Kyiv and head of the Kyiv City State Administration, having held both offices since June 2014. Klitschko is a former leader of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc and a former Member of the Ukrainian Parliament. His speeches, particularly in early years of his mayorship, often contained gaffes, for which he became known during his career as a politician.

Quotes

2008

• In my childhood years, I dreamt of being a footballer. But as my friends often joke, they tried to take the ball in an unsportsmanlike way... which is how I became a boxer.

2009

• Boxing is my life, but my life is not only boxing.
• Anyone can insult a boxer, but not everyone will manage to apologise in time.
• I do sports, business and politics. In sports, after you break the rules, the sportsman receives a warning or might be disqualified. In business, whoever uses forbidden tricks risks being left without partners. Politics is a whole lot different. It resembles a jar with cockroaches. There you have competition - who tricks whom, who lies to whom. And even if politicians employ forbidden tricks against each other, they [ultimately] meet again in the same jar.

2011

If a person dons an SS uniform, there is a precise, he has painted himself, and the people, who... there are points of view on this subject, I firmly hold, and I understand clearly that these signs, since you are asking the question up front, as if we.

2013

• Everyone was supposed to go to parliament to work with their heads. For some, working with their heads didn't work out, so they went on to employ their fists. As an expert in this matter I can say that they didn't manage to do it very well, either.
• (Of Ukrainians' preferences to look to the future in the European Union) And today in the next day, not everyone can look [there]. That is, not only all can look [there], few can do that.
• From Bill Clinton?.. E-e-e-erm... Be simpler and speak in accessible... in accessible language of the pe... peop... in accessible language... of the people. Because numerous politicians try to speak in such pher... terminology and in so outlandish terms that... you can listen [them] for an hour, and then... erm, ask him what you've understood from all of what he said, and that guy won't be able to tell anything. (During an interview with Ksenia Sobchak)
• In Odessa region [there is] a city, 50 kilometres, not far away... Fifty kilometres... You know, the distance isn't measured in kilometres. Two hours! It takes two hours to drive 50 kilometres. (Describing his journey from Izmail to Kiliia)
• (Reply to a provocator) Get your fucking ass on the Maidan quickly!
• I have to confess... for a long time, for many-many years, I am a convinced lesbian. I struggle to understand the representatives of sexual minorities when so many beautiful women are around you.
• The problem we've encountered is the inept policies of the whole ruling class of the country, and we shouldn't be looking to the people for the reason [behind them].

2014

• I want to draw attention of everybody [to the fact that] I met with numerous policemen who died, with the protesters who died, and all of them are asking...
• I have two deputies, four of whom have already been lying in the Cabinet of Ministers for one month and whom it is impossible to appoint. I have no idea why.
• She [Klitschko's wife] is everywhere. She is in Kyiv. Today she flied to Germany. She works in the whole world. And after all she is where I am.
• I ask all Kyivans to understand this problem, and I will also ask all Kyivans... in the same manner to be especially... with especial attitude address the problem of heat conservation and the preparation to earth. Klitschko confused земля (earth) with зима (winter)
• (Answering the question of the status of post-annexation Crimea) We have... what we had. We have talked about that. The current situation we have. And we have to look which we can... What we can do...
• In previous years, when the Kyivans were waking up without any permits at all, the parks and squares have been built over and as a result, now we have a lack of trust.
• For the cold water to become hot, you have to heat it up. Obviously, for that we need gas. We are waiting for the gas supplies to begin but there aren't any.

2015

• I, for instance, don't see any smells whatsoever. (While tasting tap water)
• Journalist. Tell me please, how much time do you need in order to get the capital in order?

Klitschko. In order? Not only do we need time, we need money, because we understand that we don't need money. Don't take the money away. Without money we won't be able to build roads and change elevators out of the air.

• Lobanovsky is no longer with us, but he remains alive. His work remains alive, his people remain alive, his remains are still alive, the memory about him is still alive.

2019

• If in earlier times one in six people died in intensive care, now it's every other person. This is very important. We are elevating [the quality], we are saving lives.

2020

• Among the ill are two inferior children: a 16-year-old guy and a 17-year-old young lady. He meant "minor".

2021

• In great mood we greet the year 2220... eh, 2222...

2022

• If my home country needs my life, I am ready to give my life — for my country, for my children, for the future.
• Nobody wants to die, everybody wants to live, but the Russians want to rebuild a Russian empire and we don’t want to live in a Russian empire. The Russians try to put us on our knees, but we’re fighting right now for freedom and for the future of our children and our country.
  • "Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko says he’s ready to give his life for Ukraine", New York Post, 18 March 2022

• Ukraine is a peaceful country, we were never aggressive to anyone. But, right now, the situation is about our future, the future of our children - and we have to defend that.
• Russians go away, Russian soldiers have to go away from our home country - and after that we are ready to discuss.
• Russian soldiers are fighting for the money, Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian citizens are fighting for the future of our children - and you feel the difference between the money and the children.
  • "Ukraine war: Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko says it is 'a big privilege for every man' to defend Ukraine and warns Russian soldiers to 'go away'", Sky News, 31 March 2022

• You don't kill your brother.
  You don't rape your sister.
  You don't destroy your friend's country.
  That's why today we dismantled this monument once created as a sign of friendship between Ukraine and Russia.
  • Tweeted 26 April 2022 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine