Marc Fogel, American Teacher, Welcomed By Trump After Release from Russian Prison

Russia released American schoolteacher Marc Fogel on Tuesday following an unannounced visit to Moscow by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, the White House said.

The release of 63-year-old Fogel, who has been detained in Russia since August 2021, comes as US President Donald Trump seeks to improve relations with Moscow as part of an effort to secure an end to the war in Ukraine.

“President Trump, Steve Witkoff and the president’s advisers negotiated an exchange that serves as a show of good faith from the Russians and a sign we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine," White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said.