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US citizen Stephen Hubbard freed by Russia as Trump envoy meets Putin
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- Russia has released Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American citizen jailed for allegedly fighting for Ukraine, coinciding with President Vladimir Putin's meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg.
- Hubbard was sentenced to nearly seven years in 2024 after being captured in eastern Ukraine; President Donald Trump confirmed Hubbard was "on his way back home" and denied any prisoner swap occurred.
- Trump claimed his direct request to Putin and his suspension of certain sanctions on Russia facilitated Hubbard's release, arguing that sanctions would have halted negotiations.
- Witkoff praised Putin's humanitarian gesture during the meeting, which also included discussions on proposals from talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky in Oslo, though Putin has yet to respond publicly to peace initiatives.
- The meeting addressed broader issues including a recent Russian diesel export deal with the US, deteriorating US-Ukraine relations, intelligence sharing disputes, and the ongoing conflict, with Zelensky emphasizing the need for peace-oriented dialogue from Russia.
