Washington: Marc Fogel, an American educator who had been imprisoned in Russia, has been released in what the White House described as a positive step in diplomatic relations that could facilitate discussions to end the war in Ukraine.
Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, was flown out of Russia by Steve Witkoff, a special envoy under President Donald Trump. Upon arriving in the U.S., Fogel was taken to the White House, where he met with Trump, who welcomed him personally.
Wrapped in an American flag, Fogel expressed deep gratitude to Trump, stating he would always be indebted to him. The teacher had been detained in August 2021 and sentenced to 14 years in prison after Russian authorities found him in possession of medically prescribed marijuana. The Biden administration officially designated him as wrongfully detained in December.
Trump hinted at another upcoming release of an American citizen on Wednesday but withheld specific details, calling the individual "very special." When asked whether the U.S. made any concessions in securing Fogel’s release, Trump simply responded, "not much," without elaborating.
The former president has previously emphasized his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and recently claimed his team was engaged in "very serious" discussions regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
There has been no immediate response from the Russian government regarding Fogel’s release.
