Russia frees U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard after Trump request — SkimNews
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- Russia released U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard, 74, from prison after nearly four years, following a direct request from President Trump.
- Steve Witkoff, a Trump envoy, met with Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg, where Putin confirmed Hubbard was already at Pulkovo airport awaiting departure.
- Vladimir Putin called Witkoff's description of him as a 'humanitarian' a compliment, after Witkoff thanked him for Hubbard's release during talks on a U.S. peace plan for Ukraine.
- Stephen Hubbard, a former Michigan school teacher, was detained in eastern Ukraine in 2022 and sentenced in a closed 2024 trial to nearly seven years for allegedly serving as a mercenary in the Ukrainian army.
- President Trump claimed the release required no swap or concession, criticizing the Biden administration for failing to secure Hubbard’s freedom despite his wrongful detention designation.
- Ukrainian officials, including foreign affairs committee chair Oleksandr Merezhko, condemned Witkoff’s remarks, comparing praise for Putin to calling Hitler a humanitarian during WWII.
- Russia will send the first 60,000 tons of diesel to the U.S. in the next two to three days, following Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Russian fuel imports.
Why it matters: The release of Stephen Hubbard without a public prisoner swap shifts diplomatic optics in favor of the Trump administration, but U.S. engagement with Putin—paired with resumed Russian diesel exports—directly contradicts Ukraine’s wartime interests and undermines allied unity, risking deeper strain with Kyiv at a critical moment in the conflict.
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