- Title: Ukraine's Savchenko meets with supporters in Prague
- Date: 12th January 2017
- Summary: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (JANUARY 12, 2017) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** EXTERIOR OF LUCERNA HALL, WHERE MEETING OF UKRAINIAN MP AND FORMER PRISONER OF WAR, NADIA SAVCHENKO AND SUPPORTERS IS TAKING PLACE MEDIA WAITING FOR ARRIVAL OF SAVCHENKO SAVCHENKO AND EU PARLIAMENT DEPUTY PAVEL SVOBODA ARRIVING PHOTOGRAPHERS SAVCHENKO TALKING WITH SVOBODA CAMERAMAN FILMING SAVCHENKO DISCUSSING WITH SUPPORTER PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES AT BEGINNING OF NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAS (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT DEPUTY AND FORMER PRISONER OF WAR, NADIYA SAVCHENKO, SAYING: "Ukraine was, is and will always be united. And attempts to divide it artificially, attempts to turn on powerful propaganda and the war did not divide Ukraine - despite it Ukraine is uniting." REPORTERS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT DEPUTY AND FORMER PRISONER OF WAR, NADIYA SAVCHENKO, SAYING: "As for the efficient strategies on how to put an end to the war and on how to unite Ukraine, I have my own vision and I constantly articulate it for the politicians and world leaders. I know that if the desire of all people to act together in the same direction exists, then there is nothing impossible." PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT DEPUTY AND FORMER PRISONER OF WAR, NADIYA SAVCHENKO, SAYING: "I believe that people we are fighting against can be talked to if this conversation is needed in order to save the lives of the other people." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT DEPUTY AND FORMER PRISONER OF WAR, NADIYA SAVCHENKO, SAYING: "There are many Ukrainians who simply turned out to be under the pressure, under the oppression of the Russian authorities on the occupied territories. And all people want is peace. They want to make it as it was before. They understood that they did not get anything good from what Russia promised them. That's why there are many pro-Ukrainian people on the other side. We need to talk to them, they must hear us, they must hear that we will not abandon them." PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT DEPUTY AND FORMER PRISONER OF WAR, NADIYA SAVCHENKO, SAYING: "I believe that it is possible to end the conflict in the nearest future and to develop the country and develop international, healthy, thoughtful relationships with the rest of the world." PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING PICTURE END OF NEWS CONFERENCE / SAVCHENKO LEAVING
- Embargoed: 26th January 2017 13:41
- Keywords: Savchenko Ukraine pilot war prisoner parliament deputy
- Location: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
- City: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
- Country: Czech Republic
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0015YRY81L
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian servicewoman-turned -lawmaker who spent two years in a Russian jail, on Thursday (January 12) met with EU parliament deputy Pavel Soboda and other supporters in the capital of the Czech Republic.
"Ukraine was, is and will always be united. And attempts to divide it artificially, attempts to turn on powerful propaganda and the war did not divide Ukraine - despite it Ukraine is uniting," Savchenko told reporters during a joint news conference with Svoboda in Prague, where she also spoke about her time as a prisoner of war.
Savchenko underlined that she was confident about a possible end of the conflict in the near future.
"There are many Ukrainians who simply turned out to be under the pressure, under the oppression of the Russian authorities on the occupied territories. And all people want is peace. They want to make it as it was before. They understood that they did not get anything good from what Russia promised them. That's why there are many pro-Ukrainian people on the other side. We need to talk to them, they must hear us, they must hear that we will not abandon them," she added.
Savchenko, a helicopter navigator, was captured by pro-Russian rebels while volunteering with a ground unit in eastern Ukraine and handed over to Russia on accusations of involvement in the deaths of two Russian journalists.
Her defiance at Russian authority while in captivity earned her a hero's welcome when she returned to Ukraine and she has said she could run for president at some stage. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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