# Putin announces release of American Stephen Hubbard during meeting with Witkoff

- URL: https://syn.by/en/politics/international-relations/putin-announces-release-of-american-stephen-hubbard-during-meeting-with-witkoff/
- Published: 2026-10-22T13:30:07+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-22T18:46:09+00:00
- Section: International Relations
- Language: en
- RU edition: https://syn.by/ru/politika/mezhdunarodnye-otnosheniya/putin-obyavil-ob-osvobozhdyenii-amyerikantsa-stivyena-khabbarda-vo-vryemya-vstryechi-s-uitkoffom.md
- BE edition: https://syn.by/palityka/mizhnarodnyya-adnosiny/pucin-abviesciu-ab-vyzvalienni-amerykanca-styviena-chabarda-padchas-sustrechy-z-uitkofam.md

> Hubbard, convicted in Russia of "mercenary activity", is reportedly already flying to the US. Trump said he gave nothing in return, but later linked his release to a pause in new sanctions against Russia.

![Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Steve Witkoff — Putin announces release of American Stephen Hubbard during meeting with Witkoff](https://syn.by/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/illustration-977-1024x585.webp)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on 21 October that US citizen Stephen Hubbard, sentenced in Russia to 6 years and 10 months in a penal colony on a mercenary charge, has been released. According to Putin, Hubbard is at Pulkovo airport in Saint Petersburg.

According to non-state Belarusian outlets, a plane carrying Hubbard arrived the same day at a military base in San Antonio, Texas. These outlets regard the release as so far the only tangible result of the talks between Trump's envoys and Putin.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Saint Petersburg on 21 October. It had been announced that Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner would join the talks by video link. The day before, on 20 October, Witkoff and Kushner held talks in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and representatives of European countries.

Putin announced the release before his meeting with Witkoff began. According to him, Hubbard had been convicted for taking part in Ukrainian territorial defence. Witkoff thanked Putin on behalf of Trump and "on behalf of the United States". TASS quotes the American envoy: "I would like to say that a few days ago I met with his son, he is a priest, and we talked. And I thank you for releasing his father."

On 20 October Trump said publicly that he had asked Putin to release Hubbard. According to him, no prisoner exchange was needed. He later linked the American's release to his decision to pause the introduction of new sanctions against Russia.

The Kremlin says Putin ordered the American's release at Trump's request, taking into account his poor health. Trump says Washington gave nothing in return. The American president's two statements, "gave nothing" and "paused sanctions", do not match, and the available information contains no confirmation of either version.

Hubbard was detained on 2 April 2022. According to him, Russian troops took him from his own home. The Moscow City Court found him guilty of taking part in hostilities on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a mercenary and sentenced him to 6 years and 10 months in a penal colony.

The Russian outlet Rossiyskaya Gazeta writes that the American had lived in Ukraine since 2014, and in 2022 became a mercenary of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and was taken prisoner. This is the Russian side's version; the detainee himself, according to his lawyers, denied taking part in hostilities.

Hubbard grew up in Big Rapids, Michigan, served in the US Air Force and National Guard, and earned a master's degree in English. For about 25 years he taught in Japan, lived in Cyprus, and in 2014 moved to Ukraine to be with his partner. According to his sister Patricia Hubbard Fox, he lived on a pension of about 300 dollars a month and taught English online when he needed money.

He was detained in April 2022, when Russian troops captured Izium. In 2024 a closed court sentenced him to almost seven years in a penal colony under an article on mercenary activity.

The US State Department repeatedly called on Moscow to release the American. According to NBC News, Hubbard spent more than four years in custody and was released during Witkoff's visit to Saint Petersburg.

Witkoff's words drew particular reaction: he called Putin a "humanist" while thanking him for releasing the prisoner. According to Belarusian media, this drew criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. It is not yet known what steps will follow after Hubbard's return to the US.