World · Europe · 2 hrs ago
Trump Praises Russia for Releasing American Stephen Hubbard
Stephen Hubbard, an American held in Russia, has been released and met Donald Trump at the White House.
Trump praised Russia for letting him go and said he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to release Hubbard.
Hubbard, a retired teacher, was arrested in April 2022, soon after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russia convicted him of fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, and a Moscow court sentenced him to six years and 10 months in October 2024; Hubbard pleaded guilty.
Russia said Putin approved the release as a gesture of goodwill, which was announced during US envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit to St. Petersburg.
After years in prison, Hubbard said he sometimes lost hope.
US President Donald Trump praised Russia for releasing American citizen Stephen Hubbard, whom he said he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to free.
Trump met Hubbard at the White House and described the request as a spur-of-the-moment favor.
Hubbard was convicted in Russia of taking part in hostilities on the side of Ukrainian forces.
Russia’s presidential press secretary said Putin decided to release Hubbard as a gesture of goodwill.
Hubbard, a retired teacher arrested in 2022, said he sometimes lost hope during his years in a Russian prison.
- Who
- Stephen Hubbard, a US citizen, was released. US President Donald Trump praised Russia’s role.
- What
- Russia released Hubbard, who had been convicted of taking part in hostilities on the side of Ukrainian forces.
- When
- His release was announced during US envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit to St. Petersburg. The date is not stated.
- Where
- Hubbard was held in Russia and later met Trump at the White House.
- Why
- Trump said he asked Putin to release Hubbard. Russia’s presidential press secretary described the release as a gesture of goodwill.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Hubbard’s time in pretrial detention began, and it was credited toward his sentence.
The Moscow City Court sentenced Hubbard to six years and 10 months in a general-regime penal colony.
Hubbard’s release was announced.
Trump met Hubbard at the White House and praised Russia’s role in his release.
- Sentence
- Six years and 10 months in a general-regime penal colony
- Court
- Moscow City Court
- Sentence date
- October 7, 2024
- Pretrial detention
- Since April 2022; credited toward his sentence
- Release announcement
- During Steve Witkoff’s visit to St. Petersburg
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What people are saying
It was really an honor to help. It was just a spur of the moment.
Do me a favor. Will you let Stephen Hubbard out? Let him out.