President Petro Poroshenko has demanded that Russian President Vladimir Putin deliver on his promise to release Nadiya Savchenko. In exchange, Ukraine will hand Russian special troops Aleksandr Aleksandrov and Yevgeniy Yerofeyev over to Russia.
He said this after the guilty verdict was handed down on Savchenko in Russia.
"In the course of the meetings at the highest level in the Normandy format, I have repeatedly raised the issue of the release of Nadiya and other Ukrainian hostages. And I have received support from other participants of the format. President Putin said that he would return Nadiya Savchenko to Ukraine after the so-called court decision. Now it is the time to fulfil that promise. In my turn, I am ready to convey two Russian servicemen detained in our territory for their participation in the armed aggression against Ukraine. Judicial inquiry of their cases is on the final stage. Immediately after its completion, I am ready to ensure their transport to the Russian Federation through appropriate procedures. Such an approach corresponds to item 6 of the Minsk agreements – exchange all for all. This should be done immediately," he said.
He described the trial of Savchenko as "shameful" and said Ukraine would "never recognize either this show trial or their so-called sentence, absurdity and cruelty of which proves that Russian justice has returned to the period of Stalin-Vyshinskiy".
He added: "Both Ukrainian and international personal sanctions must be imposed against everyone involved in prosecution of Nadiya Savchenko, Oleg Sentsov and other Ukrainian citizens, Ukrainian patriots-hostages illegally tortured in Russian territory."