US citizen Stephen Hubbard freed by Russia as Trump envoy meets Putin
Russia has released 74-year-old American Stephen Hubbard, who was jailed in 2024 for allegedly fighting for Ukraine. The release coincided with a meeting in St Petersburg between President Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff, following a direct request from President Donald Trump.
Why it matters
The high-profile release highlights ongoing high-level diplomatic contacts between the US and Russia regarding detained Americans, as well as shifts in US sanctions policy and negotiations surrounding the war in Ukraine.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Stephen Hubbard pictured in a Moscow courtroom as he was sentenced in 2024
Russia has released a 74-year-old American citizen who was jailed for allegedly fighting on behalf of Ukraine, as President Vladimir Putin met US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg for talks.
Stephen Hubbard has been taken to Pulkovo Airport, Putin said during the meeting early on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump later said the former teacher was "on his way back home" and "there was no 'swap' necessary".
Hubbard was sentenced to almost seven years in a penal colony in 2024. He was accused of serving in a defence unit in Izyum, Ukraine, when he was captured by Russian forces shortly after Moscow's full-scale invasion in 2022.
Writing on social media after Russian state media reported the release, Trump said it had followed a request he "made directly" to Putin last week.
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US Envoy Meets Vladimir Putin in Russia as Stephen Hubbard Goes Free
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