By Paul Joseph
Russia has released 74-year-old American citizen Stephen Hubbard after US President Donald Trump reportedly appealed directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his freedom, ending his detention following a conviction linked to the war in Ukraine.
Hubbard’s release was confirmed during a meeting between Putin and Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in St Petersburg on Wednesday, October 21.
Trump subsequently announced that the former teacher was on his way back to the United States, adding that no prisoner exchange was necessary.
In a social media post, the US president said the release followed a request he made directly to Putin the previous week.
Hubbard, who is from Michigan, was sentenced to nearly seven years in a Russian penal colony in 2024 after being accused of serving in a Ukrainian defence unit in Izyum, eastern Ukraine. He was reportedly captured by Russian forces shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
The US State Department had designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained. Reports also indicated that he was in poor health and expected to travel to Texas for medical treatment after his release.
Trump defended his recent decision to suspend sanctions against Russia shortly before they were due to take effect, arguing that the measures could have derailed negotiations over Hubbard’s freedom.
At the St Petersburg meeting, Witkoff praised Putin for authorising the American’s release, describing the Russian leader as a humanitarian.
The US envoy also presented proposals discussed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during talks in Oslo, Norway, on Tuesday. The proposals reportedly included restarting trilateral peace negotiations involving Washington, Moscow and Kyiv to seek an end to the war.
Putin had not publicly stated whether Russia would accept the proposals.
The Russian leader has continued to reject proposals from Ukraine and its European allies to freeze the current front line and begin peace negotiations.
The discussions between Witkoff and Putin also covered economic cooperation, the situation in Iran and the possibility of a meeting in China.
Putin said Russia could supply substantial quantities of fertiliser to the US market. He also disclosed that the first shipment under a recently agreed Russian diesel supply arrangement was expected to leave Russia within two to three days.
The diesel agreement has further strained relations between Washington and Kyiv amid disagreements over sanctions, military support and intelligence sharing.
Zelensky said on Tuesday that intelligence sharing between Ukraine and the United States had resumed following his meeting with Witkoff in Oslo.
Reacting to the latest diplomatic engagements, the Ukrainian president said much would depend on whether Washington could obtain new commitments from Moscow towards peace rather than a continuation of the war.
Russian state media reported that the St Petersburg meeting lasted more than three hours, with Witkoff presenting documents outlining possible approaches to the peace process.
Hubbard’s release represents a fresh development in US-Russia relations as the Trump administration pursues diplomatic engagement with Moscow while exploring options to end the war in Ukraine.
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