00:01Russia has released retired American teacher Stephen Hubarb, imprisoned on charges of fighting
00:07as a mercenary in Ukraine. The announcement came as U.S. Envoy Steve Rutkoff met Russian
00:14President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, discussing the war in Ukraine and efforts
00:19to secure a peace deal. Hubarb, a Michigan native, was sentenced to nearly seven years
00:25in prison following a close trial in 2024. He was captured in Ukraine in 2022. U.S. President
00:32Donald Trump had reportedly urged Putin to release him. The move comes amid growing tensions between
00:39Washington and Kyiv as Trump pushes to end the war. But despite renewed diplomatic efforts,
00:45a major breakthrough remains elusive, with fighting continuing and peace still uncertain.
