Vladimir Putin ordered the release of an American from a Russian jail as he met Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg on Wednesday for fresh talks on ending the war in Ukraine, amid increasingly close relations between Moscow and Washington. Trump had previously asked Putin to free Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher who had spent more than four years in Russian jails on charges of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. His release appeared to be Moscow’s latest calculated move to bring Trump further into line with Putin’s position on Ukraine, while offering the US president a diplomatic victory before the midterm elections. Hubbard was released unilaterally by Russia, rather than as part of a prisoner exchange as has often been the case with previous releases of Americans held in the country. Writing on social media after the release was announced, Trump said it followed a request he had made “directly” to Putin last week. He wrote on Truth Social: “The United States, out of respect for President Trump, was not required to give anything in return – an unprecedented situation for Russia … There was no ‘swap’ necessary for this release.” View image in fullscreenStephen Hubbard in court in Moscow in October 2024. Photograph: Moscow city court press service/AP Witkoff, meanwhile, lavished praise on Putin during their meeting at the grand Constantine Palace in St Petersburg, describing the Russian president as a humanitarian. “You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that,” Witkoff told Putin. He also conveyed Trump’s thanks for a controversial deal to resume Russian diesel exports to the US. The warmth of Witkoff’s remarks stood in stark contrast to the increasingly hostile rhetoric directed at Volodymyr Zelenskyy by senior US officials, most notably Trump, who has called for the Ukrainian president to resign and portrayed him as the main obstacle to peace. Witkoff travelled to Russia from Oslo, where he had met Zelenskyy and European leaders a day earlier in an attempt to inject momentum into stalled negotiations, with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine now in its fifth year. Witkoff told Putin during a televised portion of their meeting: “We’ve brought some papers. It’s really some ideas, some sort of peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, and you’ll read that at your leisure.” The visit was Witkoff’s ninth to Russia since Trump tasked him with brokering an end to the war. View image in fullscreen‘You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that,’ Witkoff told Putin during their meeting. Photograph: Kristina Solovyova/Pool Sputnik Kremlin/AP The latest rupture in relations between Washington and Kyiv was triggered by Trump’s surprise decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel as part of a deal with Putin, followed by his call for Zelenskyy to be replaced after Ukraine refused to halt its strikes on Russian oil refineries. Kyiv has since complained of disruptions to US intelligence-sharing and restrictions on its access to Starshield, the military-grade version of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network. Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Washington had resumed providing advance warnings of Russian missile attacks after his meeting with Witkoff in Oslo. But Ukraine continues to face restrictions on Starshield, although it remains unclear who ordered them. The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Musk had personally ordered the slowdown, while Reuters, citing sources, said the directive had come from inside the White House. ‘Drones all night. By morning, you smell the smoke’: life in the last hotel on Ukraine’s frontlineRead more During Wednesday’s meeting with Witkoff, Putin thanked Trump and his wife, Melania, for “their attention to efforts to end the war”. Witkoff, meanwhile, said there was “some degree of momentum” behind efforts to reach a peace deal, describing the talks in Oslo as “constructive”. Yet there are few signs of an imminent breakthrough. DDespite repeated Ukrainian calls for a ceasefire, including a halt to attacks on energy infrastructure, Moscow has given little sign that it plans to stop bombing Ukraine as winter approaches. It appears confident that continued pressure will help it win greater concessions from Kyiv. The Russian leader remains determined to pursue his maximalist war aims, including full Russian control of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Putin also stressed the potential for closer economic ties between Russia and the US once the war ends, suggesting Moscow could significantly increase fertilizer exports to the American market. Russian officials said the first tanker carrying diesel to the US would leave on Thursday as part of an initial shipment of about 300,000 tonnes. Energy analysts and traders have questioned whether Trump’s agreement to temporarily resume Russian diesel imports will bring meaningful relief to US consumers before the midterm elections, arguing that the volumes are too small to significantly ease the global supply squeeze.
Frequently Asked Questions
Heres a set of FAQs on this topic
1 What exactly happened
Russia released a jailed American citizen after President Putin met with a US envoy handling Ukraine talks It was announced as a goodwill gesture tied to those diplomatic discussions
2 Who was the American released
Reports identified him as a US citizen held in a Russian prison
3 Why did Putin release him now
Its widely seen as a diplomatic signala concession meant to build momentum in USRussia talks including efforts around Ukraine
4 Who was Trumps envoy
The envoy was a senior US official acting as a special representative for UkraineRussia negotiations
5 Is this connected to the Ukraine war talks
Yesthe release came during meetings focused on Ukraine so its generally read as part of the broader negotiation atmosphere
6 Was this a prisoner swap
Not necessarily Early reports described it as a unilateral release or goodwill gesture rather than a formal exchange though details can change
7 What does goodwill gesture mean here
It means Russia freed someone without getting a prisoner in returndone to improve relations and show flexibility in talks
8 Does this mean USRussia relations are improving
Its a positive sign but one step doesnt mean a breakthrough Analysts caution its symbolic and the bigger issues remain unresolved
9 Whats the difference between this and a prisoner exchange
A swap trades prisoners between countries A goodwill release is onesidedno direct trade required
10 Why do countries detain foreign citizens
Often as leverageto gain concessions secure swaps or apply diplomatic pressure Critics call this hostage diplomacy
11 What is hostage diplomacy
Using detained foreigners as bargaining chips in political negotiations Its controversial and widely condemned
12 How common are such releases
They happen periodically around highlevel talks especially when both sides want to show progress or reduce tension
13 What problems can arise from these deals
Critics say they can encourage more detentions create unequal exchanges and raise fairness questions about who gets freed
14 What should Americans traveling to Russia know
Check your
