The key facts
- Peskov confirmed permanent contacts on exchanges through the special services
- He declined to disclose details of the exchanges, the composition of participants, or timelines
- The statement came after the release of American citizen Stephen Hubbard
Contacts on exchanges continue
Russia and the US continue to maintain contacts on prisoner exchange matters through the special services, press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the news agency Vesti. According to him, negotiations in this area are conducted on a permanent basis. “In general, contacts on exchange matters and so on continue on a permanent basis through the special services,” Peskov explained.
Details are not disclosed
The Kremlin spokesman confirmed that interaction between the relevant agencies of the two countries has not stopped. At the same time, he refused to disclose details of the exchanges under discussion, the possible composition of participants, or the timelines for new agreements.
Context: Hubbard's release
The statement came against the backdrop of the release of American citizen Stephen Hubbard, previously convicted in Russia of mercenarism. According to Life.ru, he was sentenced to six years and ten months in a penal colony for participating in combat operations on Ukraine's side. Washington sought his return, and Donald Trump personally raised this issue in a conversation with the Russian president. Earlier, the outlet reported that Steve Witkoff expressed gratitude to Putin for Hubbard's release, and the released man himself, according to Putin, was at Pulkovo.
