Lawyer Says Deal Struck For Savchenko's Return To Ukraine
The lead defense lawyer for Ukrainian pilot and Verkhovna Rada deputy Nadia Savchenko says Russia and Ukraine have agreed to the conditions of her return to Ukraine.
Lawyer Mark Feigin told Ukraine's Channel 5 television on February 5 that Savchenko, 34, will be convicted "toward the end of February" on charges that she directed artillery fire in a 2014 incident in which two Russian journalists were killed.
Savchenko says she was kidnapped in Ukraine before being taken for trial in Russia's Rostov region.
Feigin said that after she is convicted, it has been agreed that she will be turned over to Ukraine. He said her trial in Russia was "political and propagandistic."
Savchenko has been on a hunger strike since December 17 and is reportedly suffering health complications.
Based on reporting by Channel 5
That concludes our live-blogging of the Ukraine crisis for Friday, February 5. Check back here tomorrow for more of our continuing coverage.
VIDEO: Kyiv Protesters Call On Dutch To Reject Russian Propaganda
Ukrainian activists protested in front of the embassy of the Netherlands in Kyiv with banners warning: "Don't listen to Russian propaganda." The protesters displayed a famous self-portrait of Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh with one bandaged ear, repurposing the image to warn against listening to misinformation. (RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service)
EU Warns Kyiv That Russia Sanctions Could Hinge On Reforms
Denmark's foreign minister has said that if Ukraine does not implement modernization reforms it risks undermining European Union support for maintaining sanctions against Russia.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters on February 5, Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen said Ukraine must fully carry out the reforms outlined by the Minsk process for regulating the conflict between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Otherwise, "it will be very difficult for Europe to continue united in support of sanctions against Russia."
The European Union is concerned about political infighting in Kyiv and its failure to implement serious reforms, a failure that was highlighted by the resignation this week of Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavicius.
The European Union imposed targeted sanctions against Russia's energy, banking, and defense sectors in July 2014. The sanctions are scheduled to expire in July, but could be extended.
Under the Minsk process, Kyiv has agreed to adopt constitutional amendments to decentralize power.