The body armor propped against a radiator, ready for use, the spent shell casing, and the sign asking visitors to leave firearms at his door are just some of the items on his desk.
Boris Johnson, the former British Prime Minister, signed a book on a piece of furniture that was about the leader of the British war effort.
There's a toy figure of a muscular boxer with a clenched fist, a reminder of how fearsome Vitali was.
It hasn't changed. His gaze is steely as he shakes his hand. When his fortunes were measured in three-minute rounds that ended with clangs of a bell, the burdens on the shoulders of the 51-year-old mayor of Ukraine's capital city were lighter.
We would need weeks to explain to you all the challenges that I have.
During his time as a professional prizefighter, the fight for survival was always a priority. To prevent power from going out entirely in his city of 3 million people, to ensure that families don't freeze in the cold, and to keepUkraine's hyper-digital capital hooked up to the outside world are more important.
All this in a war against an invader, Russia, seemingly intent on destroying all those things, with repeated barrages of missiles and exploding drones that have batteredUkraine's power grid and other key infrastructure.
In an Associated Press interview on the 268th day of the invasion, he said it was terror.
He said that they left us cold. Without electricity, heating, and water.
Sometimes power comes on, but it can't be relied on anymore. Rolling hours-long electricity cuts are a new norm in a city with a lot of internet access. Russian strikes have damaged half of Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Diners feel their way through a meal in a dark restaurant. The residents wake in the dead of night to shower and do laundry.
The challenge was huge.
What is the worst case scenario? How bad can it be?
He doesn't like to talk about that. I need to be ready.
There is part of the answer that is out of the hands of the man. How difficult life will be depends on the number of missiles Putin has left in his arsenal.
Because they've been beefed up with Western-supplied systems to shoot down projectiles, fewer missiles and drones seem to be getting through the capital's air defense. On a surprise visit Saturday to Kyiv, the British Prime Minister promised 125 anti-aircraft guns and other defenses against exploding, Iran-supplied drones that Russia has used.
It's better than before. "Yes, definitely." It is not sufficient. We don't have enough to protect other cities.
He thinks that Putin's strategy is to make Ukrainians so miserable that they give up fighting.
The mayor said it wouldn't work.
I talk to the people after rocket attacks. He said they're not depressed. They were angry and ready to defend their homes.
His argument was reinforced by a flag behind his desk.
There is no heating, no water, no electricity, no services on the front line, according to a message I received from a soldier.
We are fighting for you. The soldier asked if they should complain about their condition.
The mayor thought it was a good answer.
That's right.
The war in Ukraine is covered by The Associated Press.
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