Mr. Agramunt noted that the return of a member of the Ukraine's delegation to the PACE, Nadiya Savchenko, and Ukrainian citizens Hennadii Afanasiyev and Yurii Soloshenko was possible thanks to the diplomatic efforts.
Nadiya Savchenko addressed her colleagues and thanked for their assistance in her release. She reminded about other Ukrainian political prisoners staying on the territory of Russia, regular violation of the international law and infringement of human rights by Russia. She also called for prolongation of sanctions against the aggressor country.
The Assembly heard the report on activity of the Bureau and Permanent Committee in between the PACE sessions.
Members of the PACE called for restoration of peace in Ukraine, expressed hope for the speediest release of all Ukrainian political prisoners, and noted the fact that only after the liberation of the occupied Donbas and Crimea the issue of lifting section against Russia could be considered.
Head of the Ukrainian delegation Volodymyr Ariyev thanked for the Nadiya Savchenko's release and called for assistance in the release of all other Ukrainian citizens illegally kept in custody by the Russian authorities.
The parliamentarians asked Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland a number of questions.
Mr. Jagland called the Council of Europe the only international organization that has been present in Crimea for over the last two years.
Deputy Head of the Ukrainian delegation Serhii Sobolev expressed concerns over the absence of any information about the infringement of human rights in Crimea and Donbas in the annual report and suggest drafting a special report on the problem. In a reply Mr. Jagland explained that the information is absent in the report in view of impossibility to ensure presence of monitoring agencies at the site.
Nadiya Savchenko pointed out the importance of determination of certain groups of hostages, in particular, those, who were detained in Crimea and then brought to Russia, and the implementation of the Minsk accords.
Other members of the Ukrainian delegation pointed to Russian Federation's violations in different fields.
The Ukrainian delegation met with special representative of Secretary General of the Council of Europe to discuss the prospects of further cooperation. Later Nadiya Savchenko met with President of the European People's Party Joseph Daul, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Pedro Agramunt, head of the German delegation to the PACE Axel Fischer, and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland.
The parties discussed peaceful settlement of the situation in Donbas, ways of implementation of the Minsk accords, role of Russia in the conflict, etc.
Nadiya Savchenko addressed her colleagues during the meetings of political groups of the European People's Party, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group and European Conservatives and Reformists.