Trump meets with Stephen Hubbard after release from Russian jail

Washington — President Trump will meet with Stephen Hubbard, the American recently released from a Russian prison, at the White House Friday, sources familiar with the meeting tell CBS News. 

Hubbard was jailed in Russia for more than four years after being accused of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. He was released and returned home to the U.S. last week. Hubbard, 74, is a retired teacher. 

Hubbard’s release was announced during a meeting between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. 

Mr. Trump said there was no “swap” for Hubbard, but appeared to tie Hubbard’s release to his decision to exempt Russia from sanctions passed by Congress. 

“We were in the midst of negotiating,” the president told reporters last week. “And a lot of stupid people said, and people that don’t know how life works, they said, ‘Why aren’t you putting Russia sanctions and all this’ in the midst of a negotiation to try to get a long-term hostage back from Russia. If I would have done that, you would not have Mr. Hubbard coming back.”

The president has not reimposed those sanctions since Hubbard’s release. 

This is a developing story; it will be updated.