Russia Frees American Stephen Hubbard as Witkoff’s Praise of Putin Draws Rebukes

Russia released Stephen Hubbard, an American held for about four years whom the United States had designated as wrongfully detained, during a meeting on Wednesday between President Vladimir Putin and the American envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg.

Witkoff met Putin at the Constantine Palace as part of a push to restart negotiations over the war in Ukraine, Al Jazeera reported. Russia described Hubbard’s release, which came during the visit, as a goodwill gesture. Hubbard is 74, according to CBS News.

Responding to the release, Witkoff told Putin that he, too, was a humanitarian, and saluted him for it. The remark drew swift criticism, including from members of Trump’s own party. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina called it embarrassing and outrageous and suggested Witkoff look up the meaning of the word. Senator John Cornyn of Texas wrote that Putin is a stone-cold killer. Senator Susan Collins of Maine called Putin a warmonger and a thug, Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa said pressure, not appeasement, would end the war, and Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska called the comment another embarrassment, CBS reported.

William Taylor, a former American ambassador to Ukraine, said Hubbard’s return was welcome but that he never should have been jailed, and he called Witkoff’s words cringeworthy.

President Trump played down the remark. Asked whether he would describe Putin the same way, he suggested the praise had been offered to help secure Hubbard’s release and said he would not say anything one way or the other. Al Jazeera reported that Trump also defended his recent decision to delay new sanctions on Russia as necessary to bring Hubbard home. Supporters of that approach argue that bringing a detained American home justifies flattering words and that keeping a channel open to Moscow is the only realistic route to a settlement.

The Kremlin was more guarded about what comes next. It said Moscow was willing in principle to resume talks with Ukraine mediated by the United States, but it warned that peace proposals from Kyiv and European governments contained little substance, Al Jazeera reported.

The meeting followed a week of strained relations between Washington and Kyiv. Before traveling to Russia, Witkoff met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo, a session Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as positive. Days earlier, Trump waived new sanctions on Russia shortly before they were to take effect, a step CBS said defied Congress, after earlier easing restrictions on Russian diesel and agreeing to import it to the United States.

Russia has intensified strikes on Ukraine’s civilian and energy infrastructure over the past month, CBS News reported, and strikes on Kyiv resumed the night after the meeting, according to Al Jazeera, underscoring how far apart the two sides remain.