With latest intelligence indicating an attack on Ukraine could come within days, the US is watching for signs that Russian preparations have entered the final stage

Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, made a plea for more defensive weapons to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a panel at the Munich Security Conference on Friday. 

“It’s very important right now,” Klitschko said, acknowledging the support from Germany and the US, “but we need, right now, defensive weapons.”

“Every aggressor who just seek to attack Ukraine have to understand, they have to pay painful price. We’re ready to fight,” he said.

Klitschko previously called Germany’s offer to Ukraine of 5,000 helmets a “joke,” but this time, he thanked Germany for the 5,000 helmets, but said those are not enough.

“We can’t defend our country just with that,” Klitschko said.

Baerbock noted that the Ukrainians had asked for helmets and that there is a new list of requests from Ukraine, and Germany is looking at what else they can do.

In the last year alone, the US has provided $650 million in defensive lethal assistance to Ukraine, and that assistance would continue, Blinken said. 

During the panel, Baerbock also spoke to the constraints Germany has when it comes to arms sales because of its history.

“That’s why we have a very restrictive arms control legislation,” she said. “Because of our history, we have this legislation that we are saying, we are not selling weapons to everybody in the world, but only to our partners, NATO partners and European Union partners.”

Blinken said that the countries are not just coordinating with one another but also acting in a way that is complementary to one another.