Russia has released 74-year-old Stephen Hubbard, an American citizen who was imprisoned on allegations of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. The release occurred just before a meeting between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday.

This development comes as the United States intensifies efforts to revive peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, amidst increasing tensions in US-Kyiv relations. US President Donald Trump announced Hubbard’s release via social media, indicating that it followed a direct request he made to Putin during a phone call the previous week.

Hubbard, a retired teacher from Michigan, had been classified by the US State Department as wrongfully detained. Trump stated, “Stephen is on his way back home and will soon be with his family,” emphasising that no prisoner exchange was necessary for his release. Russian state media reported that Putin ordered Hubbard’s release on humanitarian grounds.

Background on Stephen Hubbard

Hubbard, who spent decades working as an English teacher abroad, relocated to Izyum in eastern Ukraine in 2014. Russian prosecutors claimed that he joined a Ukrainian military defence unit in Izyum after signing a contract that reportedly paid him around $1,000 per month. He was captured by Russian forces shortly after their full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Following his capture, Hubbard was charged with mercenary activity and sentenced in October 2024 to nearly seven years in a penal colony. During a court appearance at the Moscow City Court, he was seen in a glass enclosure. The US State Department later classified him as wrongfully detained, a designation used for US citizens believed to be unjustly held abroad. Reports indicate that Hubbard’s health had deteriorated during his imprisonment, and he is expected to be flown to Texas for medical care following his release.

Diplomatic Efforts and Future Talks

In announcing Hubbard’s release, Trump asserted that it was secured at his request and that Russia did not demand anything in return. He also linked the outcome to his administration’s recent easing of certain Russian sanctions, suggesting that without this move, negotiations would have stalled completely.

Hubbard’s son, Joseph Coleman, expressed gratitude towards both the US administration and Russian leadership for the outcome. He stated, “Never once did we waver as we prayed for success in these negotiations, and we must acknowledge that this humanitarian move by President Putin in this matter is deeply appreciated.” Witkoff conveyed similar sentiments during his meeting with Putin, thanking him for the release.

Witkoff’s visit to St Petersburg followed discussions in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders. These talks aimed to coordinate positions on a potential peace framework before Witkoff’s meeting with Putin. A US official noted that Ukraine had presented new proposals that could facilitate a coordinated approach to engaging with Russia.

Witkoff indicated that one of his goals was to explore the possibility of resuming trilateral negotiations involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine. He expressed hope for productive discussions, stating, “Even if we don’t have a resolution today, if we just talk about and sort of consider what that next step might be, I think that would be important.” The ongoing diplomatic efforts come over two years after Trump pledged to end the war swiftly during his election campaign.

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