The US president recently indicated that another detainee’s release is expected later this week.
According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, President Donald Trump is determined to secure the freedom of all American citizens held in Russia. This follows the release by Moscow of Marc Fogel, a former US Embassy employee sentenced to 14 years imprisonment on drug charges.
Fogel, a teacher from Pennsylvania, was apprehended at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in August 2021, months after losing his diplomatic immunity. Authorities discovered marijuana in his possession, which he claimed was for medicinal purposes.
Fogel was repatriated on Tuesday aboard the plane of Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy for the Middle East. The White House lauded the release as a “show of good faith,” describing it as “a sign we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine.”
Rubio stated that Washington aims to free more Americans from Russian detention. The State Department’s statement read: “Promises made, promises kept. President Trump promised the Fogel family he would bring Marc home, and today, Marc is on his way. After three and a half years of detention in Russia, Marc is finally free. Marc’s release is also a reminder that other American citizens are still detained in Russia. President Trump is committed to bringing all of them home,”
Trump expressed gratitude for President Vladimir Putin’s role in facilitating the deal. He also confirmed the imminent release of another American detainee on Wednesday, without providing specifics.
At least nine Americans remain in Russian custody, facing charges including espionage, drug offenses, and assault. Their sentences vary greatly, ranging from less than four years to 21 years, according to the Associated Press.
Fogel’s release marks the first time an American detained in Russia has been freed during Trump’s second term. The last significant US-Russia prisoner exchange occurred in August 2024, involving 26 individuals in the largest swap since the Cold War.