WASHINGTON (Voice of Russia): US President Donald Trump has thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for the decision to release American citizen Stephen Hubbard, who had been convicted in Russia of taking part in combat operations alongside the Ukrainian military, and described the move as extraordinary.
At Joint Base Andrews, journalists asked President Trump about his recent telephone conversation with President Putin.
The US president said he had asked President Putin whether he could release Stephen Hubbard, to which the Russian president agreed.
President Trump said, “We greatly appreciate this decision and are extremely grateful for it.”
Stephen Hubbard had been sentenced in Russia for taking part in combat operations alongside Ukrainian forces.
In 2024, the Moscow City Court sentenced him to six years and ten months in prison. Hubbard had pleaded guilty to the charges against him, and the time he had spent in custody since 2022 was also counted toward his sentence.
News of the American citizen’s release emerged on Wednesday during the visit to St Petersburg by US President’s special envoy Steve Witkoff.
According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, President Vladimir Putin decided to release Stephen Hubbard as a gesture of goodwill.
About The Author
