Putin Orders Release of Jailed American at Talks with Trump Envoy
Vladimir Putin ordered the release of Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher held in Russia for more than four years, during talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg. Witkoff praised Putin as a humanitarian, while the meeting followed a deadly Russian strike on Kyiv.
Vladimir Putin has ordered the release of a jailed American citizen during a meeting with Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg, as Moscow and Washington pursue fresh talks on ending the war in Ukraine. The Russian president acted unilaterally to free Stephen Hubbard after a request from Trump, according to reports from the meeting on Wednesday.
Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher, had spent more than four years in Russian custody on charges of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. His release marks a rare humanitarian gesture from Moscow amid increasingly close relations between the Kremlin and the White House.
The meeting between Putin and Witkoff was held in Russia's second city and focused on efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine. It came more than two years after Trump promised during his election campaign to bring the war to a close within 24 hours — a pledge that has yet to be fulfilled.
Witkoff, who held talks with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky the day before travelling to Russia, praised Putin as a «humanitarian» following the release. The remark drew attention because it came hours after a deadly Russian attack on Kyiv, and just 48 hours after a Russian strike reportedly killed a baby.
The release of Hubbard was confirmed as a unilateral move by Russia, rather than the result of a prisoner exchange. Trump had previously asked Putin directly to free the former teacher, who was captured while in Ukraine and later convicted by a Russian court on mercenary charges.
The talks in St Petersburg signal a further warming of ties between Moscow and Washington, even as fighting continues on the ground in Ukraine. Witkoff's visit followed his discussions with Zelensky, suggesting the US is attempting to shuttle between the two capitals in pursuit of a negotiated settlement.
Critics have questioned the timing of Witkoff's praise for Putin, given the civilian casualties caused by Russian strikes in recent days. The US envoy's description of the Russian leader as a humanitarian is likely to be scrutinised by allies in Europe who remain wary of Moscow's intentions.
The release of an American citizen is a tangible outcome from the latest round of diplomacy, but the broader question of how to end the war remains unresolved. Trump's campaign promise of a swift peace deal has not been met, and the latest talks offer no public indication of a breakthrough.
For now, Hubbard's release provides a rare moment of cooperation between the two powers, even as the wider relationship remains defined by the conflict in Ukraine and the humanitarian toll of Russia's military campaign.
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