Washington, October 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
US President Donald Trump has claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to release American citizen Stephen Hubbard following a personal telephone request, presenting the development as a diplomatic success amid strained relations between Washington and Moscow over the Russia-Ukraine war.
Addressing a Republican campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, Trump said Hubbard had returned to the United States after spending years in Russian custody and had reunited with his family.
Trump said he raised Hubbard’s case directly with Putin during a telephone conversation on Friday.
“I called Vladimir Putin on Friday and I said, will you do me a favour? Give me the person you have named Stephen Hubbard, give him back to me, would you, please?” Trump told supporters.
According to Trump, Putin agreed to the request. “And he said, I will do that,” the US President said, adding that Hubbard had since arrived in the country and that his family was happy.
Trump did not provide details about the circumstances of Hubbard’s release, the arrangements involved or whether other diplomatic channels played a role. He also did not specify when Hubbard returned or whether the development was linked to broader negotiations between the two countries.
The President used the announcement to criticise his predecessor, Joe Biden, arguing that Hubbard should have been brought home much earlier. Trump also praised Hubbard’s son for his efforts to secure his father’s freedom.
The remarks came as Trump discussed his efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He said he hoped the war was nearing an end and cited what he described as the heavy monthly toll among soldiers.
However, Trump did not indicate that Hubbard’s release was connected to negotiations over the war. His announcement comes against a backdrop of recurring diplomatic disputes between Washington and Moscow over the detention of American citizens in Russia.
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