Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American teacher held in Russia for more than four years, has been released and was at St Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport on Wednesday, according to President Vladimir Putin. US President Donald Trump said the release followed his direct request to Putin and insisted that Washington gave Moscow nothing in return.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that Hubbard was freed 'at the request of President Donald J. Trump, made directly to President Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation last week'. He added that the United States was 'not required to give anything in return' and that 'there was no "swap" necessary for this release'.
