Merkel hopes Savchenko release will promote settling humanitarian problems in Donbas

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has welcomed the release of Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko and expressed the hope that this will give new impetus for negotiations on humanitarian issues between Ukraine and Russia.

This was stated by Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert, an Ukrinform correspondent reports from Germany.

"Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed the release of Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko from Russian captivity as part of a prisoner swap. The exchange of Savchenko will hopefully give new impetus for negotiations on humanitarian issues and further exchange of prisoners within the framework of the Minsk agreements," Seibert said.

Merkel wished Nadiya Savchenko a speedy recovery and safe return to her family.

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