Stephen Hubbard returns to US after years in Russian prison

American Stephen Hubbard has returned to the U.S. after being detained in Russia for nearly four years. The freed American arrived at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio early Thursday morning.

Russia had accused Hubbard, who lived in Ukraine at the time, of fighting on behalf of Ukraine after Russia launched its war. Former President Biden’s administration had designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained.

President Trump said he personally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to release Hubbard in a phone call, and special envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Russia to secure his release.

“It was my honor to be with Stephen in St. Petersburg today before he departed for the United States,” Witkoff wrote in a post to the social platform X. “President Trump called Stephen to check on him and reaffirm his unwavering commitment to bringing all Americans wrongfully detained home.”

Hubbard’s release was secured without an exchange.

The State Department shared a photo to X on Wednesday showing Hubbard surrounded by family holding an American flag as he reentered the U.S.

“Stephen is finally back in America with his loved ones after enduring four years of unjust detention,” the department wrote. “Our nation celebrates his return and offers him our prayers as he begins this next chapter of his life.”

The release comes as Trump faces political backlash at home for taking a friendlier stance toward Putin and backing away from Ukraine. The president signed an executive order waiving sanctions on Russian energy and announced a deal with Putin to purchase hundreds of thousands of tons of Russian diesel, aiming to bring down costs for Americans.

Witkoff visited Russia both to secure Hubbard’s release and to push for a deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The special envoy drew backlash from members of both parties for calling Putin a “humanitarian” in the meeting.

“You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian,” Witkoff said to Putin. “You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that.”

Multiple Republicans, including Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.), criticized Witkoff’s comments on social media .

“You should go back to Ukraine and ask the families of the children Putin has kidnapped and murdered whether they agree your friend Putin is a ‘humanitarian,’” Tillis wrote on X .