The key facts
- ABC News, citing sources, reports that negotiations between the US and Russia over the release of Americans have entered a final stage
- The key figure in the possible deal is named as Stephen Hubbard, convicted in Russia for mercenary activity
- Sources warn: an agreement has not yet been reached, the deal may fall through or its terms may change
Negotiations at a final stage
The United States and Russia may soon agree on the release of several American citizens held in Russian detention facilities. According to ABC News, citing two American officials and one more informed source, the negotiations have entered a final stage. According to the TV channel, the discussions are being conducted by the US president's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Key figure in the possible deal
ABC News names Stephen Hubbard, convicted in Russia for mercenary activity, as the key figure in the possible agreement. In addition to him, Washington hopes to secure the release of several more of its citizens, but their names and the possible terms of the agreement have not yet been disclosed.
No agreement reached yet
ABC News sources warn that a final agreement has not yet been reached: the deal may fall through or its terms may change.
Context of Hubbard's case
Earlier, US President Donald Trump asked Russian leader Vladimir Putin to release 72-year-old American Stephen Hubbard, who is serving a sentence in Russia for participating in hostilities on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to the publication, on October 7, 2024, the Moscow City Court sentenced him to six years and ten months in a general-regime penal colony. The article also mentions a statement by Rubio that the US is trying to bring home the mercenary Hubbard convicted in Russia.
