President Donald Trump secured the release of retired U.S. teacher Stephen Hubbard from Russian custody after directly pressing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Hubbard had been imprisoned on charges that he fought as a mercenary for Ukraine.

Trump announced Hubbard’s release in a Wednesday morning Truth Social post. He said the American was already traveling home and would soon reunite with his family.

"Stephen Hubbard, taken four years ago by Russia during the Biden Administration, was just released from prison, at the request of President Donald J. Trump, made directly to President Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation last week," Trump wrote.

Trump said Russia did not demand anything from the United States in exchange for Hubbard. He portrayed that result as unusual and contrasted it sharply with negotiations conducted under the Biden administration.

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"Stephen is on his way back home and will soon be with his family. The United States, out of respect for President Trump, was not required to give anything in return — an unprecedented situation for Russia. There was no ‘swap’ necessary for this release. This major return should have taken place long ago through the Biden Administration, which got nowhere in its negotiations with the Kremlin. Stephen is on his way back home."

President Donald J. Trump announces the release of Stephen Hubbard, taken four years ago by Russia during the Biden Administration.

Stephen is on his way back home and will soon be with his family. https://t.co/EsMPLkeYbO — The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 21, 2026

The post concluded with Trump’s message to the released American: "‘Welcome home, Stephen, it’s great to have you back.’"

Trump also said people who had called for immediate sanctions against Russia later apologized because they did not know negotiations over Hubbard’s release were underway.

"Numerous people who requested that sanctions be immediately imposed on Russia have called to apologize to President Trump in that they didn’t know that he was negotiating the release of Stephen Hubbard, a truly big and important deal for the U.S. If sanctions would have been placed, certainly those negotiations would have come to a complete and total halt."

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Trump followed that post with another swipe at his predecessor. "Biden should have done the Hubbard release long ago! What a difference a President makes!"

Hubbard, a Michigan man, was sentenced in 2024 to almost seven years in prison. Prosecutors accused him of signing a contract with the Ukrainian military after Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

According to prosecutors, Hubbard fought alongside Ukrainian forces until Russian forces captured him two months later. A Moscow City Court proceeding in October 2024 involved the charges that he had fought as a mercenary for Ukraine.

A photograph from the Moscow City Court on Oct. 7, 2024, showed a screen broadcasting the verdict announcement in Hubbard’s trial. The caption identified Hubbard as a 72-year-old U.S. citizen at that time.

.@TaylorRogers47 on @POTUS securing the release of Stephen Hubbard from Russian captivity: “This is a President who knows how to negotiate peace. He’s been willing to work with both sides here, and, as a result, we are seeing another American come home.” https://t.co/3DNYIoBrbF

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 21, 2026

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff raised Hubbard’s case during a Wednesday meeting with Putin. Witkoff told the Russian president that "because of you, he's going home to his family."

Witkoff emphasized Hubbard’s age during his remarks and described Putin as a "humanitarian." He said, "He's a 75-year-old man."

Trump had publicly confirmed on Tuesday that he was personally discussing Hubbard with Putin. His remarks made clear that he had asked the Russian president to free the detained American.

"I've been talking to President Putin about Mr. Hubbard. I've been talking to him at length. I've asked him to release him," Trump said. "Let's see what happens."

By Wednesday, Trump was announcing that Hubbard had been freed without a swap. The president credited his direct telephone request to Putin while hammering the Biden administration for failing to obtain the release earlier.

The release followed the meeting between Witkoff and Putin and Trump’s earlier conversation with the Russian leader. Trump’s posts focused on Hubbard’s return, the absence of an exchange, and his argument that immediate sanctions could have stopped the negotiations.

NEW: U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff meets with American Stephen Hubbard following his release from a Russian prison.

Hubbard had been detained since 2022 and was convicted by a Russian court of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine, allegations Hubbard denied through his U.S.-based lawyer. He was sentenced in 2024 to six years and 10 months in prison, and the U.S. government later designated him as wrongfully detained. — Fox News (@FoxNews) October 21, 2026

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