17:00 19.04.2016

Savchenko agrees to stop hunger strike after conversation with Poroshenko

2 min read
Savchenko agrees to stop hunger strike after conversation with Poroshenko

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has had a telephone conversation with Ukrainian military aviator Nadia Savchenko, who is being held at a Russian detention facility after a Russian court convicted her to a lengthy prison sentence, and asked her to stop her hunger strike, which he says she agreed to do.

"I have called Nadia Savchenko and personally offered her my words of support. We will be doing all we can for Nadia's liberation. Together with Nadia Savchenko's mom, Maria Ivanivna, and her sister Vira, I asked Nadia to stop her hunger strike. Thank her for agreeing," Poroshenko said via Twitter on Tuesday.

Poroshenko informed Savchenko of the steps Ukraine that is making to free her, and of some details of his telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainian presidential press service said.

"Ukraine is continuing to do all it can for your release," Poroshenko said to Nadia.

Poroshenko, Nadia Savchenko's mother and sister asked her to stop the hunger strike for health reasons. "In response, Nadia Savchenko agreed to temporarily stop her hunger strike," it said.

The president pointed out that he stood ready to send the presidential aircraft to Russia so as to bring Savchenko back home.

Savchenko's defense lawyer, Ilya Novikov, said via Twitter, "Have just been present during historic conversation. President Poroshenko called Nadia #Savchenko to detention facility. She stopped the hunger strike."

Novikov said also that, during the conversation, "a report came that Alexandrov's and Yerofeyev's defense decided not to appeal the sentence."

"Their exchange is possible," he said.

The Kremlin had earlier refrained from comments on Poroshenko's words that he believed President Putin and he had reached agreement on a preliminary algorithm of Savchenko's liberation.

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