Freed American Thanks Trump in Oval Office Visit
Stephen Hubbard, recently released from Russian custody, expressed his gratitude to President Trump, stating he believed he wouldn't have survived another year.
President Trump met with Stephen Hubbard, an American recently freed from Russian detention, at the White House on Friday. Hubbard, a retired English teacher and veteran, told Trump that he feared he "wouldn't have lasted another year" while imprisoned.
Hubbard, 73, was arrested in eastern Ukraine in 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion, having lived there with his partner. He was sentenced to nearly seven years for acting as a mercenary, a charge he denied. Hubbard recounted his time in custody, including near the front lines of the conflict, where he experienced shelling.
Trump facilitated Hubbard's release on October 21, following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This development occurred less than two weeks after Trump announced a waiver of U.S. sanctions on Russian diesel fuel, aimed at mitigating global energy costs.
During his imprisonment, Hubbard said he had largely lost hope of being freed. "I had heard it many times before, and I reached the state where seeing is believing," he stated. He expressed his disbelief until the final stages of his release, noting, "Only when they started giving me new clothes and leading me to the exit of the prison — I went out and I saw the car, and I was accompanied by a couple of Russians. Then I believed, finally believed, on the drive from Moscow to St. Petersburg, I’m really going somewhere."
Hubbard's son, who joined him at the White House meeting, shared his own fears about his father's fate in Russia and noted his efforts to regain strength. President Trump commented on Hubbard's appearance, saying, "you look very healthy. I mean, you have no weight problem." Trump concluded by stating, "It’s an honor to have you back. It’s a great honor."