In a significant diplomatic development, Russia has released a 74-year-old American citizen jailed for allegedly fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, as President Vladimir Putin held talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg.
Stephen Hubbard, a former teacher from Michigan, was taken to Pulkovo Airport following his release, according to Russian state media, which cited Putin during Wednesday’s meeting.
US President Donald Trump later confirmed Hubbard’s release, saying he was on his way home and insisting that no prisoner swap had been necessary.
Hubbard was sentenced to nearly seven years in a Russian penal colony in 2024 after being accused of serving in a Ukrainian defence unit in the city of Izyum.
He was reportedly captured by Russian forces shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Trump said the release followed a request he made directly to Putin the previous week. The development comes amid ongoing diplomatic engagement between Washington and Moscow, with other detained Americans previously securing their freedom through prisoner exchanges.
The US president also appeared to defend his recent decision to suspend sanctions against Russia shortly before they were due to take effect, arguing that imposing the measures would have completely stalled negotiations for Hubbard’s release.
The US State Department had previously designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained, while Trump indicated on Tuesday that his release could be imminent.
Hubbard’s freedom marks a notable development in US-Russia relations, as both countries continue to navigate sensitive diplomatic negotiations amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
