Nadiya Savchenko is free, but the rule of law in Russia still has a long way to go - Main contents
The Ukrainian pilot and Member of Parliament, Nadiya Savchenko, has been freed today by Russian President, Vladimir Putin, as part of a prisoner swap between Moscow and Kiev; two alleged Russian agents have in turn been pardoned by President Petro Poroshenko.
ALDE Group leader, Guy Verhofstadt, welcomes the return home of Nadiya Savchenko, who became a symbol of resistance against Moscow:
"Nadiya Savchenko is back to her family and people, after being kept prisoner by the Kremlin for crimes she didn't commit.
Vladimir Putin actually used her as a bargaining chip for two elite members of the Russian intelligence service, captured in Eastern Ukraine. This is the way justice works under Putin's regime. What will be the price for the other prisoners held illegally in Russian prisons? Like Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov and activist Oleksandr Kolchenko, abducted from Crimea and forced to become Russian citizens. We expect Russia to release all of these hostages taken during Russian military operations in Ukraine."
MEP Hans van Baalen (VVD, The Netherlands) ALDE Group' spokesman on Russia and Ukraine added:
"Releasing Nadiya Savchenko was the only right thing for Putin to do, but she should never have been abducted in the first place. One might hope that Putin-Russia will refrain from these illegal behaviours in the future and will return to the rule of law, especially towards its citizens and its neighbours."
ALDE Group Vice-President, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS (Liberal Movement of Lithuania), who has been very vocal and led the campaign to free Nadiya Savchenko, concluded:
"This battle is won and Nadiya came back home victorious. Not broken-down after two years of imprisonment, months of being on hunger strikes and continuous harassment. She is a heroine of Ukraine and at the same time - she provides huge hope. I am sure that she will strengthen the spirit of the Ukrainian nation which is so much needed today in order to come to new victories. I would also like to stress that Nadiya's return is clear evidence that, when implemented with a strong political will, EU sanctions do matter and do make an impact."
Nadiya Savchenko, a 34 years old Ukrainian military pilot and member of the Ukrainian Parliament, Verkhovna Rada, has been kept in detention in Russian prisons since mid-June 2014 when she was kidnapped in the East of Ukraine and illegally transferred to Russia. In December 2014, Ms Savchenko declared a hunger strike in protest at her detention. After 83 days, she abandoned the protest due to serious health issues.