American Held in Russia Is Freed After Trump Appeal
Russia has released Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American from Michigan, after President Trump requested his freedom, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The announcement occurred as Putin met with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff for talks aimed at ending the Ukraine war. Hubbard had been held since 2022 and was sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years after a closed trial on charges of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine.
Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old from Michigan, was taken into Russian custody in eastern Ukraine in 2022. A closed court proceeding in 2024 ended with a sentence of almost seven years on accusations that he had fought for Ukraine as a paid fighter.
His release was announced by Vladimir Putin during talks in Saint Petersburg with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff about ending the Ukraine war. Putin said Hubbard was at Pulkovo Airport. Washington had formally treated him as wrongly held under the Biden administration, and Trump said he had asked Putin for Hubbard’s freedom.
The release may ease concerns for Hubbard’s family and supporters and could shape how other detained Americans view diplomatic appeals. It may also affect public perceptions of U.S.–Russia negotiations, especially among communities following the Ukraine war, by linking humanitarian cases to broader bargaining. Observers may debate whether such releases encourage or complicate future detentions, but the immediate effect is likely most personal for those involved.