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By Matthew Robinson, Brendan Cole, and Hannah Parry
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President Donald Trump said Russia did not ask for anything in return for the release of an American prisoner on Wednesday, which was announced at a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. However, he later appeared to say it was linked to sanctions on Russia.
Putin said on Wednesday that Russia had released Stephen Hubbard, 74, a retired teacher from Michigan, who had been jailed for six years and 10 months in 2024 for allegedly fighting for Ukraine. Putin said that Hubbard had been taken to an airport in St. Petersburg.
Following the announcement, Trump posted on Truth Social that he had asked for Hubbard to be released during a call with Putin last week.
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"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," Trump said.
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However, Trump appeared to contradict this in a follow-up post in which he said that the release of Hubbard was in fact tied to sanctions on Russia.
"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," wrote Trump.
"If sanctions would have been placed, certainly those negotiations would have come to a complete and total halt," he added.
Trump later appeared to acknowledge that his decision not to impose sanctions on Russia was linked to the negotiations for Hubbard’s release, despite insisting that the United States gave nothing in return.
“We were in the midst of negotiating and a lot of... stupid people said why aren’t you putting Russian sanctions - in the midst of negotiations to get a longtime hostage back from Russia."” Trump told reporters outside the White House.
"But you said you didn’t give anything for his release?" CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked.
”If I didn’t do that, you wouldn’t have him coming back," Trump responded, before personally attacking Collins, telling her, “You don’t know anything.... You don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re a low IQ person. You’re a dummy.”
Last year, the Trump administration secured the release of another American jailed in Russia, schoolteacher Marc Fogel, who had been jailed for 14 years following a drug smuggling conviction.
Ukraine and its allies have condemned the Trump administration's easing of sanctions on Russian diesel in a deal announced last week with the aim of curbing gas prices for Americans.
What Was Said at the Meeting Between Putin and Witkoff?
Witkoff thanked Putin for the diesel deal on Wednesday, saying: "I think that was a really important act on your part, sir."
"I know the president is deeply grateful for it, as are our farmers and truckers who use diesel and have been adversely affected by this diesel crisis," Witkoff said. "It's an example of us all working together, and I want to say thank you to you for that."
Witkoff also said there was "a foundation in place to move toward a ceasefire" in the Russia-Ukraine war following "constructive" discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Norway the previous day.
The U.S. envoy also asked Putin to consider resuming trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S., something which the Russian president has long avoided.
Putin has repeatedly rejected a ceasefire and demanded that Kyiv surrender the partially occupied Donbas, which for Ukraine, would be an unacceptable concession.
Zelensky Calls For Ceasefire
Following Witkoff's meeting, Zelensky again rejected the prospect that Ukraine would hand over its eastern Donbas region to end the war in an interview with Fox News.
He told anchor Brian Kilmeade that despite Putin's claims, Moscow is not winning on the ground and is using massive drone and missile attacks on civilians to force land concessions they haven't earned.
The Ukrainian president proposed an immediate ceasefire where troops currently stand ahead of peace talks for a long-term solution.
"We stay strong. People are tired of course. We want to end this war as quick as possible," Zelensky said. "I think we have to start from the point where we stay, move to a diplomatic way, and then on the tactical level, we will find a way of peace plan and resettlement."
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Matthew Robinson and Tony Phillips.
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