Russia frees US teacher Stephen Hubbard as Witkoff meets Putin in St. Petersburg
In short
Russia released Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan jailed for more than four years on mercenary charges he denies, as US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. President Trump said he asked Putin for the release in a call last week and that nothing was given in return. Witkoff drew criticism for calling Putin a "humanitarian".
Read the full story 2 min read
Russia has freed Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan who had been jailed for more than four years on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, which he denies. The release was announced as US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg for talks on the war in Ukraine. Putin told Witkoff in front of cameras that Hubbard was at Pulkovo airport, according to Axios. Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov later said Hubbard was handed over to Witkoff there, and a US official told CNN that Hubbard was out of Russia and on his way back to the US. [ 4 , 6 , 10 , 23 ]
Trump said on Truth Social that he had asked Putin in a phone call last week to release Hubbard. He wrote that "the United States, out of respect for President Trump, was not required to give anything in return" and that no "swap" was necessary. CBS News reported that Trump also said Hubbard would not have been released had the White House not stopped new sanctions against Russia from taking effect last week. The Kremlin called the move a goodwill gesture, and Hubbard's family thanked Trump and his team for opening a dialogue with Russia. [ 6 , 10 , 23 , 37 ]
In video of the meeting, Witkoff thanked Putin, saying: "You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir." Witkoff faced criticism from lawmakers over the remark, according to The Hill, and CBS News carried a former US ambassador, William Taylor, calling it "cringeworthy". [ 6 , 10 , 39 , 40 ]
Hubbard spent decades abroad teaching English and moved to the Ukrainian city of Izyum in 2014, CNN reported. He was captured in 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion. His family and the State Department called the charges fabricated. He was sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years after a closed trial, and prosecutors said he had signed a contract with the Ukrainian military. He was the last American the State Department had designated as wrongfully detained in Russia; CBS News said as many as 10 other Americans, including dual nationals, remain in Russian custody. [ 4 , 10 , 37 ]
Witkoff also presented Putin with an updated proposal to end the war and asked him to allow trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US to resume, Axios reported. NBC News described the release as a victory Trump can tout after backlash over his tilt away from Kyiv. CNN said Hubbard would go to Washington to see his family before travelling to a military facility in Texas, while CBS News said he was expected to be flown to Texas for treatment at a military hospital. [ 4 , 6 , 10 , 23 ]
Why it matters
Outlets describe the release as a sign of warmer US-Russia ties and a result Trump can point to while facing criticism over his stance on Ukraine. It came as Witkoff pressed Putin to resume peace talks on the war.
Key facts
- Russia freed Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan, who had been jailed for more than four years on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine. [ 4 , 6 , 10 , 22 ]
- The release was announced during talks between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. [ 4 , 10 , 23 , 37 ]
- Trump said he asked Putin to free Hubbard in a phone call last week and that the US was not required to give anything in return. [ 6 , 23 , 37 ]
- Hubbard was the last American designated as wrongfully detained in Russia by the State Department, CBS News and NBC News reported. [ 6 , 10 ]
- Witkoff thanked Putin and called him "a humanitarian"; the remark drew criticism from lawmakers. [ 6 , 10 , 39 ]
- Hubbard was sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison after a closed trial. [ 37 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Russia released Stephen Hubbard, who was on his way back to the United States. [ 4 , 6 , 10 , 15 , 21 , 31 ]
- The release was announced during Witkoff's meeting with Putin in St. Petersburg, where Hubbard was handed over at Pulkovo airport. [ 4 , 6 , 10 , 23 ]
- Trump said he had asked Putin to release Hubbard in a phone call last week. [ 6 , 27 , 37 ]
- Trump said the US was not required to give anything in return and that no "swap" was necessary. [ 6 , 10 , 23 , 37 ]
- Hubbard was the last American designated as wrongfully detained in Russia by the State Department. [ 6 , 10 ]
- Witkoff called Putin "a humanitarian" while thanking him for the release. [ 4 , 6 , 10 , 37 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the release was linked to US sanctions policy. CBS News reported Trump also said Hubbard would not have been released had the White House not stopped new sanctions from taking effect last week, while saying no swap was needed. Axios mentioned Trump's agreement to lift sanctions on Russian diesel sales as context. No other document addresses a link.
- Where Hubbard will be treated and taken after arriving in the US. CNN said he would go to Washington to see his family and then to a military facility in Texas for a re-acclimation programme. CBS News said he was expected to be flown to Texas for treatment at a military hospital.
- How long Hubbard was detained. Most outlets say more than four years; NBC News said nearly five years in detention.
- Whether Putin and Trump will meet in China. Only a Reuters headline says Putin suggested a meeting there; no article text is available.
- Hubbard denies the charge of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- On 20 October The Hill reported Trump saying he had asked Putin to release Hubbard and that a resolution could come within a few days. [ 2 ]
- On 21 October CNN reported that Russia had freed Hubbard after a visit from Witkoff. [ 4 ]
- Reuters reported that Putin said Russia had freed Hubbard. [ 7 ]
- CBS News reported that Trump confirmed the release. [ 10 ]
- Reuters reported that Putin, at talks with Witkoff, suggested he and Trump could meet in China. [ 16 ]
- Axios reported that Witkoff asked Putin to allow trilateral peace talks to resume. [ 23 ]
- The Hill reported that Witkoff faced criticism from lawmakers over calling Putin a "humanitarian". [ 39 ]