Russia Frees Stephen Hubbard After Direct Plea From Trump
Russia has released Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired American teacher who had been held in Russian custody for more than four years, following a direct request from President Donald Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The release was announced on Wednesday during a visit to St. Petersburg by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, who met with Putin to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine. According to a U.S. official, Hubbard was taken to Pulkovo airport and was on his way back to the United States.
Who Is Stephen Hubbard?
Hubbard, a former Air Force and National Guard veteran from Big Rapids, Michigan, had been living in the eastern Ukrainian city of Izyum since 2014 when Russian forces detained him in April 2022, weeks after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian prosecutors accused him of fighting as a mercenary for a Ukrainian territorial defense unit and claimed he had been promised about $1,000 a month. He was convicted at a closed-door trial in October 2024 and sentenced to nearly seven years in prison. His family, his lawyer, and the U.S. government maintained the charges were fabricated, and the United States designated him as wrongfully detained.
A Release Without a Swap
President Trump confirmed the release in a Truth Social post, saying he had raised Hubbard's case directly with Putin in a telephone conversation last week.
"There was no 'swap' necessary for this release," Trump wrote, adding that Putin had asked for nothing in exchange, "out of respect for President Trump." He also criticized the previous administration for failing to secure Hubbard's freedom.
A State Department representative said the release was not part of any exchange and that no other concessions were provided by the United States.
Heading Home
Video shared with news outlets showed Witkoff greeting Hubbard at the airport, telling him, "From today is a new life for you." Witkoff publicly thanked Putin during their televised meeting, saying the American's release was a humanitarian gesture.
Hubbard's health had declined during his imprisonment, his family previously said. Reports indicated he was expected to land in the United States on Wednesday evening before traveling to Texas for medical treatment and rehabilitation.
His lawyer, Martin De Luca, thanked Trump, Witkoff, and U.S. officials for securing the release, calling it a milestone on the road to peace.
The release comes as Washington presses for a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine, with the administration pushing Kyiv to reach a settlement while managing a strained relationship with Moscow.
Sources: CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera, Reuters
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