Detained Ukrainian helicopter pilot Nadiya Savchenko stands inside the defendant's cage during her hearing | Vasily Maximov/AFP/Getty Ukrainian pilot gives Russia the middle finger Germany adds its voice to growing chorus calling for pilot to be released.

A Ukrainian pilot on trial for killing two Russian journalists made a defiant stand in court Wednesday as an increasing number of countries and MEPs called for her to be released.

Nadiya Savchenko, a Ukrainian military pilot, jumped on the bench and gave judges the middle finger as she gave her closing statement in the case, five days after she began a hunger strike that she pledged to continue unless she is returned to Ukraine.

Germany on Wednesday demanded Savchenko be freed, calling for her immediate release and saying such a move would "be a positive sign for the relations between Russia and Ukraine."

On Tuesday, 57 MEPs from across the political spectrum sent a letter to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, calling for the EU to impose sanctions against Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, for kidnapping, unlawful detention and fabrication in the case against Savchenko.

Kiev demanded an end to the "farcical" trial and told Russia to release Savchenko immediately.

On Monday, John Kerry, the U.S. secretary of state, called on Russia to release Savchenko.

Prosecutors claim Savchenko directed an artillery strike that killed two Russian journalists in June 2014. They claim she had crossed the border disguised as a refugee.

However, Savchenko said she was captured by pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine and then handed over to Russian troops. Her lawyers say she was in captivity at the time of the artillery strike.

The verdict is due to be announced on either March 21 or 22. If found guilty, the 34-year-old Iraq war veteran could be jailed for 23 years.

Savchenko, who has promised to return to Ukraine "dead or alive," said in a statement: "I want the whole democratic civilized world to realize that Russia is a third world country with a totalitarian regime and the dictator-tyrant, where they don't care about human rights and international law."