Russia releases American veteran Stephen Hubbard after Putin-Witkoff meeting

Russia has released American citizen Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher who had been jailed since 2022 on allegations of fighting for Ukraine, during a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg. Putin announced the release as Hubbard was taken to the city's Pulkovo Airport. President Donald Trump stated that Hubbard was "on his way back home" and emphasized that "there was no 'swap' necessary."

Hubbard had been sentenced to almost seven years in a penal colony in 2024 after being accused of serving in a defence unit in eastern Ukraine. He was captured during the Battle of Izium shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Reports indicated that his health had been poor, and he was expected to be flown to Texas for treatment.

Following the release, Witkoff praised Putin directly, telling him that he was also "a humanitarian" like President Trump. This remark provoked a sharp backlash among Republican lawmakers; Representative Don Bacon called it "another embarrassment," while Senator John Cornyn described Putin as "a stone cold killer." Vice-President JD Vance defended Witkoff, arguing that his primary task was to secure Hubbard's release and that returning an American home took precedence over careful word choice. The release was unusual in its presentation, as past exchanges of detained Americans from Russia have typically been structured as formal prisoner swaps.