Russia has released 73-year-old American citizen Stephen Hubbard, who was imprisoned in Russia for fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff said.
Speaking at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg, Witkoff said on Wednesday he had met Hubbard's son, a church pastor, several days earlier. Hubbard's son had also thanked Putin for releasing his father.
"I would like to thank you on behalf of our president, and I thank you on behalf of the US. I do so because Russia has released Stephan Hubbard," he said.
Commenting on the release, US President Donald Trump said Washington "was not required to give anything in return."
"There was no 'swap' necessary for this release," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, calling it an unprecedented situation for Russia.
The US president said Hubbard was freed following a request made directly to Putin, confirming that the American citizen is currently travelling home to reunite with his family.
"Welcome home, Stephen; it's great to have you back," Trump added.
The US president said in a separate post that people who previously criticised him for not imposing sanctions on Russia were unaware that discussions were underway to secure Hubbard's freedom.
He noted this "truly big and important deal" would "have come to a complete and total halt" if he did put sanctions on Russia.
Hubbard was sentenced by the Moscow City Court on October 7, 2024, to six years and 10 months in a penal colony after being convicted of participating in hostilities alongside the Ukrainian armed forces.
According to Russian court proceedings, Hubbard pleaded guilty to the charges. His time in pretrial detention since April 2022 was credited toward his sentence.
Trump on Tuesday revealed that he had asked Putin to release Hubbard.
