Russia frees retired US schoolteacher in goodwill gesture as Putin meets Witkoff

St. Petersburg, Russia - Russia released Stephen Hubbard, a retired U.S. schoolteacher held since 2022, from prison and transported him to St. Petersburg for a return flight to the United States, according to talks that Washington claims are a step towards ending the conflict in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin disclosed the news during a meeting with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who subsequently described the negotiations as paving the way for upcoming technical-level discussions involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine.

Witkoff praised Putin as a "humanitarian" for the act, a statement that provoked criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers due to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The prisoner's release coincides with recent gestures from former President Donald Trump towards Moscow, including a deal to purchase Russian diesel and a waiver of new sanctions, which have already faced opposition from both political parties in the U.S. Congress and raised concerns in European capitals.

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, stated that Putin released Hubbard at Trump's request and considered the American's health.