On Tuesday, 57 members of the European Parliament sent a joint letter to EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini, urging to impose sanctions on 28 Russian individuals, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, over the Savchenko case.
"The EU MP's are making a justice issue into a political one in a new attempt to culpabilize Russia [make it feel guilty] and undermining Russia and the support Mr. Putin is getting more and more [of] in Europe," Creyelman said.
According to the lawmaker, it is "rather peculiar" that the European Parliament is trying to impose the new sanctions over a court sentencing an individual, while both the European and Russian legal systems are independent from the political power.
Savchenko is currently on trial in Russia on charges of helping to direct artillery fire near the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk on June 17, 2014, that led to the deaths of two Russian journalists.
Russian prosecutors are seeking a 23-year prison sentence for Savchenko, who denies all allegations. A court ruling in the case is due to be announced on March 21-22.
