Russia Releases Imprisoned American Man as Trump Envoy Meets With Putin

Trump said the release was secured at his request, “made directly” to Putin in a telephone conversation last week. The release was not part of a swap, he confirmed.

“Stephen is on his way back home and will soon be with his family,” Trump said, noting that the U.S. “was not required to give anything in return.”

Trump had hinted to reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday that Hubbard’s release was pending. “Just ​stick with me,” he said, when asked about the American man’s case. “I don’t ⁠want to talk about it, but everybody has been after Hubbard for a long time, long ​before I got here. And just remember that ​question for ⁠a couple of days from now, okay? Because I do things that nobody else can do.”

The release of Hubbard comes in the wake of Trump waiving sanctions on Russia in a bid to progress the controversial diesel deal he made with Putin as he attempts to lower fuel prices, which have soared in the wake of his war with Iran.