President Donald Trump offered a brief hint Monday: His administration was trying to secure the release of someone held overseas whom the United States had sought to bring home for years.
Now, a new report suggests the negotiations could bring back several Americans from Russia.
The administration is nearing a deal with Moscow to release multiple detained U.S. citizens, ABC News reported, citing two U.S. officials and another source familiar with the matter.
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are leading the negotiations, which the sources described as being in their final stages.
But a crucial question remains unanswered: What would Russia get in return?
A Retired Teacher At The Center
The discussions have focused on Stephen Hubbard, a 72-year-old retired teacher, as well as several other Americans imprisoned on charges the administration considers dubious, according to ABC News.
Hubbard is the only American held in Russia officially designated as wrongfully detained by the State Department, the outlet reported. His sister has previously pleaded for his return.
Trump did not name Hubbard when discussing the effort Monday.
He said he was “trying to get a hostage that the country has been after for a long time,” apparently referring to the retired teacher, according to ABC News.
“Let’s see what happens,” Trump added. “That’ll be soon.”
Moscow Acknowledges Talks
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov confirmed Tuesday that discussions were continuing, while offering little about their substance.
“Dialogue on all these issues is ongoing through intelligence service channels,” he said.
Ryabkov called Hubbard’s name “certainly familiar,” but said he had “nothing to report.”
The negotiations come as Trump faces scrutiny over recent Russia policy decisions, including his waiver of newly imposed sanctions targeting Russian officials and oligarchs.
ABC News did not establish that those decisions were part of a prisoner-release agreement. The terms of any potential exchange remain unknown.
Officials also warned that the deal is unfinished: It could collapse, or its scope could change before an announcement.
