The key facts
- Stephen Hubbard, a former English teacher in his seventies, was released after a sentence of nearly seven years and returned to the United States.
- Trump said no prisoner exchange was needed; at the same time, the US eased some sanctions against Russia and agreed to buy Russian diesel.
- Hubbard was captured in 2022 in Izyum, Ukraine; he denies the charges, and a former Ukrainian cellmate told AFP about torture in custody.
Return to the United States
Retired American teacher Stephen Hubbard, released by President Vladimir Putin after four years of imprisonment in Russia, has returned to the United States. His lawyer Martin De Luca told AFP on Thursday, confirming: 'Yes, he has landed,' without further details. Earlier in the morning, US President Donald Trump published photographs showing Hubbard smiling next to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. In another photo, the former English teacher, in his seventies, poses with unidentified people on a small plane, holding an American flag together with two members of the group.
Circumstances of the release
According to Trump, Hubbard was released without the need to agree to a prisoner exchange. However, as AFP notes, before the release the Republican president eased some sanctions against Russia and also agreed to purchase Russian diesel fuel — which, according to the agency, strengthens the Kremlin's ability to finance the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Witkoff was in Russia on Wednesday for a meeting with Putin. After the meeting, the Russian leader said that Moscow is in principle ready to return to negotiations with Ukraine and the United States on ending the war.
Hubbard's case
According to Hubbard's family and lawyers, he was living in the Ukrainian city of Izyum when he was captured by Russia in 2022. He was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison on charges of acting as a 'mercenary' for Kyiv; he denies the charges. A Ukrainian who was held together with Hubbard told AFP that the American was tortured in custody.
