Efforts to Release American Teacher Held by Russia

The United States is actively pursuing the release of Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher held by Russia for four years. President Donald Trump confirmed the identity of the person the U.S. has been trying to free.

Stephen Hubbard, aged 74 and originally from Michigan, was living in eastern Ukraine in 2022 when Russian forces took over, leading to his detention. He is the only American in Russian custody classified by the State Department as wrongfully detained.

Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. Trump had previously mentioned efforts to free a ‘hostage’ from Russia, but only recently confirmed Hubbard’s identity.

When questioned about Hubbard, Trump said: “Just stick with me. I don’t want to talk about it. But everybody’s 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?” Trump continued: “I’ve been talking to President Putin about Mr. Hubbard. I’ve asked him to release him. We’ll see what happens. It’s time to have Mr. Hubbard back.”

A Russian court sentenced Hubbard in 2024 to six years and ten months in prison on charges of being a mercenary for Ukraine during their full-scale invasion in 2022. However, his family disputes these charges due to his known pacifist views.

Efforts to release Hubbard coincide with Trump’s pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to negotiate with Putin. This involves conceding territory Russia failed to conquer, which Ukrainians perceive as defeat.

In related political developments, the Cook Political Report adjusted the outlook on two Southern Senate races. South Carolina moved to “lean Republican” from “likely Republican,” and Mississippi to “likely Republican” from “solid Republican.” Democrats are investing significantly in these races, including a $1.2 million ad campaign targeting Mississippi’s Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.

White House bureau chief reports Trump has committed over $400 million to support Republicans in the midterms. This includes $300 million spent on advertising and voter outreach. Funds come from a super PAC and an allied nonprofit, with disclosure reports due to the Federal Election Commission.