Vladimir Putin freed an American teacher. At the request of Donald Trump

Stephen Hubbard, a retired teacher from Michigan, was recognized by the U.S. State Department as wrongfully detained in Russia. He was arrested in 2022 on charges of fighting for Ukraine as a mercenary. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Hubbard was at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, where Trump envoy Steve Witkoff arrived. Witkoff's visit aimed to secure Hubbard's release. Trump claimed that his request to Putin led to Hubbard's freedom, emphasizing that no concessions were made in return. Hubbard had lived abroad for decades, moving to eastern Ukraine in 2014. His sister denied the allegations against him as false. Prior to Hubbard's release, Robert Gilman, a former U.S. Marine, was also freed from Russian prison following Trump's discussions with Putin.