Stephen Hubbard freed by Russia, Trump confirms return: No swap required for release

US envoy Witkoff meets Putin in St. Petersburg amid tensions over Ukraine and a new diesel deal

By LineZotpaper

Published21 October 2026

Updated21 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Sources3 outlets

US citizen Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher sentenced to nearly seven years in a Russian penal colony for alleged mercenary activity, has been freed. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the release during talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, and President Donald Trump confirmed Hubbard was 'on his way back home,' stating no prisoner swap was required.

President Donald Trump confirmed that Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American held in Russia since 2022, is 'on his way back home' after being freed by Moscow. Writing on social media, Trump said the release came after a request he made directly to President Vladimir Putin last week, adding 'there was no swap necessary.'

The release was announced by Putin during a meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg on Wednesday. Putin stated that Hubbard had been taken to Pulkovo Airport and was in the process of leaving. Witkoff thanked the Russian president, telling him: 'Because of you, he's going home to his family.'

The meeting, the ninth time Witkoff has met Putin in person, comes amid a tumultuous period in US-Ukraine relations. It follows a deal to import Russian diesel that infuriated Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, and accusations, rejected by Washington, that the US halted intelligence sharing on Russian strikes. Zelensky said on Tuesday that such sharing had since resumed after 'positive' talks with Witkoff in Oslo. During the St. Petersburg meeting, Witkoff was filmed praising the diesel deal as an example of cooperation.

Hubbard, a former teacher from Michigan, was arrested in April 2022 in the eastern Ukrainian city of Izyum. Russian prosecutors accused him of manning a Ukrainian military checkpoint after the full-scale invasion began. He was sentenced to nearly seven years in a penal colony following a closed-door trial in 2024. The Biden administration classified him as wrongfully detained.

While Russian state media reported Hubbard pleaded guilty, his US-based lawyer, Martin De Luca, previously told Reuters the charges were false and that Hubbard was not part of any combat unit. In an open letter to Trump, Hubbard's sister, Patricia Hubbard Fox, claimed he endured 'constant beatings, torture and starvation' in custody. Hubbard is the second American released by Russia in roughly two months, following former US Marine Robert Gilman in August. According to the Foley Foundation, around two dozen other Americans remain held in Russian prisons.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The release marks a notable success for President Trump's direct diplomatic approach with Russia, resolving a specific human rights case without a public concession.
The context of the release alongside a Russian diesel import deal and disputes over intelligence sharing with Ukraine highlights a dramatic shift in Washington's posture toward Moscow.
With around two dozen other Americans reportedly still detained in Russia, it raises questions about the scope and strategy of US efforts to bring its citizens home.

Background

Stephen Hubbard, 74, was a retired schoolteacher from Michigan. He was detained by Russian forces in April 2022 in Izyum, Ukraine, and sentenced to nearly seven years in a penal colony in 2024 for what prosecutors claimed was mercenary activity. The United States government designated him as wrongfully detained. The release occurred during the ongoing diplomatic push by US envoy Steve Witkoff, who has met Putin nine times as part of an effort to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.

Key Perspectives

White House / Trump Administration: The release is framed as a testament to the effectiveness of direct presidential diplomacy. The administration highlights that no swap was necessary, and Witkoff publicly thanked Putin for the gesture, praising US-Russia energy cooperation as a path forward. Kremlin: Vladimir Putin presents the release as a unilateral gesture of goodwill, bolstering diplomatic ties with the United States while maintaining strategic positions on the ground in Ukraine. Ukraine and Allies: Kyiv views the broader rapprochement between Washington and Moscow with alarm, particularly the diesel deal and the disputed intelligence-sharing pause, fearing Ukrainian security interests are being traded away. Critics and Hostage Advocacy Groups: Hubbard's family has alleged he was tortured and starved, and the Foley Foundation notes that approximately two dozen Americans remain in Russian custody. Critics warn against normalising detentions or rewarding Russia's hostage-taking without accountability.

What to Watch

Whether the Trump administration will condition further economic cooperation with Russia on the release of the remaining prisoners.
The sustainability of resumed US-Ukraine intelligence cooperation after the recent dispute.
Any new diplomatic proposals for ending the Ukraine war emerging from Witkoff's continuing dialogue with Putin.

Sources

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 3 sources: 9 supported.

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SupportedThe headline says Hubbard was freed, Trump confirmed his return, and no swap was required.BBC News: “President Trump said Hubbard was “on his way back home” and “there was no 'swap' necessary for this release”.”
SupportedThe summary says Witkoff met Putin in St Petersburg amid Ukraine tensions and a new diesel deal.BBC News: “The diesel deal infuriated Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and triggered a tumultuous few weeks of deteriorating relations”
SupportedHubbard, a 74-year-old American, was freed after being sentenced to nearly seven years for alleged fighting on Ukraine’s behalf.BBC News: “Russia has agreed to release a 74-year-old American citizen who was jailed for allegedly fighting on behalf of Ukraine. ... Hubbard, a former teacher originally from Michigan, was sentenced to almost seven years in a penal colony in 2024.”
SupportedTrump said Hubbard was “on his way back home” and that no swap was necessary, after a request Trump made directly to Putin last week.BBC News: “Writing on social media after Russian state media reported the release, Trump said it had followed a request he “made directly” to Putin last week. “There was no “swap” necessary for this release,” Trump said.”
Partly supportedPutin said Hubbard had been taken to Pulkovo Airport and was in the process of leaving.BBC News: “Stephen Hubbard has been taken to Pulkovo Airport, Putin said during talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg, according to state media.”
SupportedWitkoff told Putin, “Because of you, he's going home to his family.”Euronews: “Witkoff, who has made multiple unsuccessful visits to Russia in order to reach a settlement in its war on Ukraine, thanked Putin, telling him, “Because of you, he's going home to his family.””
Partly supportedZelensky said on Tuesday that intelligence sharing had resumed after “positive” talks with Witkoff in Oslo.BBC News: “The Ukrainian president said on Tuesday that such information sharing had resumed, following talks with Witkoff in Oslo described by the US as “positive”.”
SupportedWitkoff was filmed praising the diesel deal as an example of cooperation.BBC News: “During Wednesday's meeting in St Petersburg, Witkoff was filmed by Russian TV saying the diesel deal was an example to Ukraine of what could be achieved by working together.”
Partly supportedHubbard’s lawyer told Reuters that the charges were false and Hubbard was not part of any combat unit.Just In: “his US-based lawyer, Martin De Luca, previously told Reuters Mr Hubbard had said the charges were false and that he was not part of any combat or military unit.”
SupportedHubbard’s sister claimed he endured “constant beatings, torture and starvation” in custody.Euronews: “Hubbard's sister, Patricia Hubbard Fox, praised the president but also claimed her brother had endured “constant beatings, torture and starvation” while in detention.”
SupportedHubbard was the second American released by Russia in roughly two months, after Robert Gilman’s release in August.Euronews: “He is the second American released by Russia in roughly two months, following the release in August of former US Marine Robert Gilman”
SupportedAround two dozen other Americans remain held in Russian prisons, according to the Foley Foundation.Euronews: “Around two dozen Americans are still being held in Russian prisons for various reasons, according to the Foley Foundation, a hostage advocacy group.”