MPs’ protections under scrutiny; Putin releases jailed US citizen; and National Geographic’s NZ pick
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Stephen James Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired American teacher, was released from Russian detention after nearly two years and a sentence of nearly seven years for allegedly fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. His release came after US President Donald Trump intervened on his behalf, asking Russian President Vladimir Putin to free Hubbard during a phone call.
Trump stated that the United States did not need to offer anything in exchange for Hubbard's return. The release coincided with a visit by US special envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia, who met with Putin in St Petersburg to discuss the war in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the American side had raised Hubbard's release multiple times, and Putin decided to pardon him based on "humanitarian considerations."
Hubbard, from Michigan, had been living in eastern Ukraine for several years when Russia invaded in February 2022. He was detained about two months after the invasion, and Russian prosecutors alleged that he had signed a contract with the Ukrainian military and fought alongside them before being captured. Hubbard's legal team disputed these claims, stating that he had not participated in military activity.
The US administration had designated him as wrongfully detained. Hubbard's release marked a humanitarian outcome amid broader diplomatic efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict.
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