In a TV interview, he said "Bearing in mind the statements made by [Russian] officials – President Putin, [parliament] speaker Matviyenko – the issue has been politically solved.” According to the lawyer, Vladimir Putin hopes to make Savchenko release beneficial for him: “I think that Putin, of course, is interested in releasing Savchenko in return for easing of sanctions. And the so-called ‘exchange’ for Russian servicemen Alexandrov and Yerofeyev is only a cover for Putin's agreements with the West."