Moscow releases American citizen Stephen Hubbard, Trump says, "Freed him without giving anything in return."
The president on Truth: "Stephen is coming home and will soon be with his family."
Stephen Hubbard (EPA/MOSCOW CITY COURT PRESS SERVICE HANDOUT)
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Stephen Hubbard, the American citizen detained in Russia, has been freed and is on his way to the United States. US President Donald Trump announced the news on Social Truth, assuring that the release was granted without any compensation. "Stephen is coming home and will soon be with his family," Trump wrote, adding that "the United States, out of respect for President Trump, did not have to offer anything in return—an unprecedented situation for Russia. No exchange was necessary to secure this release."
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the release today to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. According to Russian news agencies, Hubbard was at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport, awaiting repatriation.
Trump had explicitly requested the release yesterday, when he spoke about it from the Oval Office. Witkoff then expressed the American president's thanks to Putin for his compatriot's release, as reported by Interfax.
(Unioneonline)
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