U.S. envoy meeting with Putin leads to release of Stephen Hubbard
U. S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on 20 October, after which Russian authorities released 74-year-old American citizen Stephen James Hubbard and flew him to the United States, U. S.
officials said. The release was announced on 21 October. President Donald J. Trump had publicly said he asked Putin to secure Hubbard’s freedom, a claim reported by the New York Times. Putin later confirmed the detainee’s release, noting it followed Trump’s request, according to NPR.