Kyiv’s Klitschko brothers say Ukraine must be defended

Russia needs to understand how strong Ukraine is, and what price it might pay for launching any military aggression toward Ukraine, Kyiv’s mayor told CNBC.

“Before our enemies make an attack against Ukraine they have to see we are strong, they have to see how strong we will be, it will be a very painful price for everyone,” Vitali Klitschko told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble in Kyiv on Wednesday.

Klitschko said that Ukraine had a young democracy and a vision “to build” a European country, a vision rejected by Russia. Still, he said financial and political support, as well as support in the shape of military hardware and weapons, made Ukraine stronger.

He said he hoped diplomats both in Ukraine and elsewhere could “stop this aggression [in a] diplomatic way. If not, we have to prepare to take weapons in our hands,” the former world champion boxer said.

Vitali’s brother Wladimir Klitschko, another former boxer who now describes himself as an activist, also spoke to reporters Wednesday, commenting that the West should be aware of showing any “weakness” when it comes to dealing with geopolitical crises like the current hostility between Ukraine and Russia.

Asked if the U.S. is doing enough to help Ukraine as it faces a possible military confrontation with Russia, Wladimir Klitschko said “there’s never enough.”

“I believe that sometimes the West shows weakness in certain situations and that we need to be more united and protect each other and protect our interests, protect our democracy that we’ve been fighting for and developing in the Western world,” he said.

“I believe this unity will give us enormous strength,” he added, noting that there should be better communication between Western allies, and that a possible invasion of Ukraine “would be an issue for everybody.”

With Ukraine on high alert over a possible military confrontation with Russia, which has amassed tens of thousands of troops along the border with its neighbor, some Ukrainian officials have been critical of Kyiv being left out of high-level diplomatic talks between the U.S., NATO and Russia aimed at averting a confrontation.

Vitali Klitschko has been publicly critical of the response of one of Ukraine’s European allies, Germany, describing Berlin’s offer of 5,000 helmets to Ukraine as “a joke” which had left him “speechless.”

“The behavior of the German government leaves me speechless. The defense ministry apparently hasn’t realized that we are confronted with perfectly equipped Russian forces that can start another invasion of Ukraine at any time,” he told the German newspaper Bild last Wednesday. “What kind of support will Germany send next?” he asked. “Pillows?”

Speaking to reporters Wednesday following a press conference, Vitali Klitschko said Ukraine had to now “be prepared for any scenario” as there were no immediate signs of tensions being…