Trump Envoy Meets Putin Amid Hubbard Release, Envoy Praises Leader

Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. The meeting coincided with Russia's release of American citizen Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher who had been jailed for over four years on mercenary charges. Trump had previously requested Hubbard's release.

During the high-level discussions, Witkoff reportedly referred to Putin as a "humanitarian," a statement that has drawn scrutiny given Putin's status as a war criminal wanted by the International Criminal Court. Trump, however, hailed the release of Hubbard, claiming Russia freed him out of "respect for President Trump" and without any required exchange. The developments underscore a period of increasingly close relations between Moscow and Washington.