Russia frees US citizen Stephen Hubbard as Witkoff meets Putin in St. Petersburg
In short
Russia released American Stephen Hubbard, 74, on 21 October, around the time US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in St. Petersburg to meet President Vladimir Putin. President Donald Trump said he asked Putin for the release and that the US gave nothing in return. Witkoff's praise of Putin as a humanitarian drew criticism from Republican senators.
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Russia released American Stephen Hubbard on 21 October, as US special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in St. Petersburg to meet President Vladimir Putin. Newsis reported the release came right after Witkoff's arrival, while Yonhap said it came before the talks. Kyunghyang Shinmun, citing Russian news agencies, said Putin disclosed it at the meeting and that Hubbard was at Pulkovo airport. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Hubbard, 74, is a former teacher from Michigan. Russian prosecutors said he signed a contract with Ukraine's military after the war began in 2022 and fought on its side. Newsis reported that his side has denied the accusation. A Moscow court sentenced him in 2024; Kyunghyang Shinmun and Newsis gave the term as 6 years 10 months, while another Newsis report and Chosun Ilbo said close to seven years. Kyunghyang Shinmun said the Biden administration had designated him wrongfully detained, and Chosun Ilbo said the State Department did so in January 2025. [ 2 , 4 , 9 , 10 ]
Witkoff and Putin met at the Konstantin Palace, and Russian media said the talks lasted three hours. According to Yonhap, citing TASS, Witkoff handed Putin a document on ending the war with Ukraine and asked him to consider resuming US-mediated three-way talks. Russian officials have rejected ceasefire requests, saying Russia needs peace rather than a ceasefire. Witkoff thanked Putin for the diesel deal, and Putin said Russia could supply more fertilizer to the US. Putin also raised a possible meeting with Trump at next month's APEC summit in China. [ 3 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
Trump wrote on Truth Social that Hubbard had just been freed and that the US did not have to give anything in return. He said he had asked Putin for the release in a phone call the previous week. Trump also said that had sanctions been imposed, the negotiations would have been stopped. Newsis reported that Trump agreed with Putin on 9 October to supply Russian diesel, and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that on 16 October he signed an order suspending the Russia-related provisions of the Lindsey Graham sanctions law. Hankook Ilbo said the release also appeared aimed at promoting a result ahead of the midterms. [ 2 , 4 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]
According to Chosun Ilbo, Witkoff told Putin he too was a humanitarian, which drew criticism. Republican Senator John Cornyn replied that Putin was a cold-blooded killer, and Senator Thom Tillis called the remark embarrassing. Former US ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor called the release good but said Russia deserved no credit. Vice President JD Vance defended Witkoff. Chosun Ilbo added that Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Russia was ready in principle to resume three-way talks in early November, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would watch how Russia acts. [ 10 ]
Why it matters
The release came during a sequence of US sanctions relief on Russia, and Trump cited it to defend that policy. Outlets also reported Witkoff handing Putin a document on ending the war in Ukraine, and the Kremlin's Yuri Ushakov said Moscow was ready in principle to resume three-way talks in early November.
Key facts
- Russia released Stephen Hubbard, a US citizen from Michigan held on accusations of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine, on 21 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Hubbard is 74 and a former teacher; a Moscow court sentenced him in 2024, with outlets giving the term as 6 years 10 months or close to seven years. [ 2 , 4 , 9 , 10 ]
- Witkoff met Putin at the Konstantin Palace in St. Petersburg; Russian media said the talks lasted three hours. [ 5 , 6 ]
- Witkoff handed Putin a document on ending the war with Ukraine and asked him to consider resuming US-mediated three-way talks. [ 3 , 7 , 8 ]
- Trump said on Truth Social that he asked Putin for Hubbard's release and that the US did not have to give anything in return. [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]
- A tanker carrying 40,000 tonnes of Russian diesel was due to leave for the US on 22 October under the diesel deal. [ 3 , 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Russia released American Stephen Hubbard on 21 October, held over accusations that he fought as a mercenary for Ukraine. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 8 ]
- Witkoff met Putin in St. Petersburg on 21 October and thanked him for the release. [ 4 , 5 , 10 ]
- Trump said he asked Putin for Hubbard's release and that Russia asked for nothing in return. [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]
- Trump and Putin agreed on 9 October to supply Russian diesel to the US market, and on 16 October Trump suspended the Russia-related provisions of the Lindsey Graham sanctions law. [ 2 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- When exactly the release was made known. Newsis said Russia freed Hubbard right after Witkoff arrived and Yonhap said before the talks, while Kyunghyang Shinmun said Putin disclosed it at the meeting.
- How Hubbard was detained. Newsis cited AP as saying he was captured by Russian forces on the battlefield, while another Newsis report and Chosun Ilbo reported he was seized at his home in Izium.
- Length of the sentence. Kyunghyang Shinmun and Newsis gave 6 years 10 months; another Newsis report and Chosun Ilbo said close to seven years.
- Whether the release involved any concession. Trump said nothing was given in return; Newsis reported a view that Trump used the release as a card, and Hankook Ilbo and Asia Economy described his remarks as a defence of his sanctions relief.
- Whether three-way peace talks will resume. Ushakov said Russia was ready in principle to resume talks in the first ten days of November, but Zelensky said he would wait to see how Russia acts, and Yonhap said Russia had rejected ceasefire requests.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Newsis reported that Russia released one American after Witkoff arrived in St. Petersburg. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reported that Putin met Witkoff, who handed over a document on ending the war, and that Russia had freed Hubbard before the talks. [ 3 ]
- Newsis reported, citing Russian media, that the Putin-Witkoff talks had ended after three hours. [ 5 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reported Trump's Truth Social post saying sanctions would have stopped the negotiations. [ 8 ]