Russia freed American citizen Stephen Hubbard on October 21, 2026, during a visit to St Petersburg by US envoy Steve Witkoff, who praised Vladimir Putin as “a humanitarian” at a meeting that also covered the war in Ukraine.
Four years in custody
Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher from Michigan, had been held for more than four years. In 2024 he was sentenced to nearly seven years after a closed trial on mercenary charges linked to fighting for Ukraine.
“You are a humanitarian also, sir”
“Because of you, he’s going home to his family,” Witkoff told Putin. “You are a humanitarian also, sir.” US President Donald Trump said he had asked Putin by phone the previous week to free Hubbard and that, unlike earlier releases, no American had to be given up in exchange. “Welcome home, Stephen, it’s great to have you back,” he wrote.
Ukraine on the agenda
Witkoff met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Norway the day before and planned to bring those ideas to St Petersburg. The war is approaching its five-year mark in February 2027.
Concessions to Moscow
The meeting came as Trump pressed Kyiv toward a deal while taking steps that benefit Moscow, including waiving sanctions under a congressional Russia sanctions law and announcing a deal to import Russian diesel. The flattering language drew criticism as Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities continued.
Sources
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