After more than four years behind bars, 74-year-old Stephen Hubbard is finally heading home following a personal appeal by President Donald Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
An American family is preparing for a long-awaited reunion after Russia released Stephen James Hubbard, a retired Michigan teacher who had spent more than four years in Russian custody over accusations tied to the war in Ukraine.
President Donald Trump announced the development on Wednesday, October 21, crediting direct diplomacy with Putin for securing Hubbard’s freedom. The president also emphasized that the United States did not have to release a Russian prisoner or offer another concession in exchange for the American’s return.
According to reporting by The Associated Press and other news outlets, Hubbard’s release took place during a visit to Russia by Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, who met with Putin in St. Petersburg.
