WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Marc Fogel, an American history teacher who was deemed wrongfully , has been released and returned to the U.S. in what the White House described as a diplomatic thaw that could advance negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin said Wednesday that a Russian citizen was freed in the United States in exchange for Moscow鈥檚 , but it refused to identify him until he arrives in Russia 鈥渋n the coming days.鈥�
Steve Witkoff, a special envoy for President Donald Trump, left Russia with Fogel and brought him to the White House late Tuesday, and Trump welcomed him home.
鈥淚 feel like the luckiest man on Earth right now,鈥� Fogel said as he stood next to Trump with an American flag draped around his shoulders.
Fogel, who is from Pennsylvania, has spoken with his wife, his two children and his 95-year-old mother, Witkoff said at the White House on Wednesday. He declined to disclose Fogel’s whereabouts.
Fogel also was shown the famous Lincoln Bedroom, a second-floor room in the White House once used as an office by President Abraham Lincoln. A handwritten copy of the Gettysburg Address, signed by Lincoln, is displayed on a desk in a corner of the room.
Trump said another American, someone 鈥渧ery special,鈥� would be released on Wednesday, though he declined to name the person or say from what country.
The president declined to say if he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin about Fogel, but Fogel praised the Russian leader as 鈥渧ery generous and statesmanlike in granting me a pardon.鈥�
Asked about the terms of the deal, Trump said: 鈥淰ery fair, very, very fair, very reasonable. Not like deals you鈥檝e seen over the years. They were very fair.鈥�
He did not say what the United States exchanged for Fogel鈥檚 release.
Witkoff on Wednesday gave some of the credit to Mohammed bin Salman, saying Saudi Arabia鈥檚 crown prince was 鈥渋nstrumental鈥� in the negotiations.
鈥淗e has a very strong friendship with President Trump, and, behind the scenes, he was encouraging and pushing and looking for the right result. It was helpful, it really was,” Witkoff said.
Asked if the crown prince was pushing the Russians, Witkoff said he was more of a 鈥渃heerleader.鈥�
鈥淗e was a cheerleader for this rapprochement where the two leaders would come together, and that鈥檚 what happened, so thank God,” Witkoff said. “Sometimes you don鈥檛 get a good result. Here we got a very good result. Mark Fogel is the evidence of that.鈥�
Fogel was arrested in August 2021 and was serving a 14-year prison sentence. His family and supporters said he had been traveling with medically prescribed marijuana, and he was designated by President Joe Biden鈥檚 administration as wrongfully detained in December.
Michael Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, said the U.S. and Russia 鈥渘egotiated an exchange鈥� to ensure Fogel’s release. He did not say what the U.S. side of the bargain entailed. Previous negotiations have occasionally involved reciprocal releases of Russians by the U.S. or its allies.
Waltz said the development was 鈥渁 sign we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine.鈥� Trump, a Republican, has promised to find a way to end .
Trump also has talked about having a good relationship with Putin, who launched in 2022. Last month, Trump said his administration was having 鈥渧ery serious鈥� conversations with Russia about the war.
Speaking to reporters at the White House earlier Tuesday, Trump said, 鈥淲e were treated very nicely by Russia, actually. I hope that’s the beginning of a relationship where we can end that war.鈥�
Asked whether the U.S. had given up anything in return, Trump replied 鈥渘ot much鈥� but did not elaborate.
Fogel’s relatives said they were 鈥渂eyond grateful, relieved and overwhelmed鈥� that he was coming home.
鈥淭his has been the darkest and most painful period of our lives, but today, we begin to heal,鈥� they said. “For the first time in years, our family can look forward to the future with hope.鈥�
The U.S., Russia and other nations carried out a large in August that resulted in the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and American corporate security executive Paul Whelan, among others.
But that deal left out numerous other Americans jailed in Russia, including Fogel. Some omitted then were also not included in Tuesday鈥檚 release, including several who have had major milestones in their cases since then.
Among them is U.S.-Russian dual national , who was convicted of shortly after last August鈥檚 prisoner swap and sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges stemming from a donation of about $52 to a charity aiding Ukraine. John Kirby, a national security spokesman at the Biden White House at that time, called the conviction and sentencing 鈥渘othing less than vindictive cruelty.鈥�
Last October, American Robert Gilman was sentenced to more than seven years in prison in Russia for allegedly assaulting law enforcement officers while serving a sentence for another assault, while was sentenced to prison in a closed trial for allegedly fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine.
As the Russia-Ukraine war nears the end of its third year, Trump’s plan for securing an end to the conflict remains unclear, though he has said that both sides will need to make concessions and suggested that Ukraine would have to accept the loss of at least some territory.
Fogel鈥檚 release and Trump鈥檚 announcement that he will send to Kyiv for talks with Ukraine鈥檚 leaders could signal that plans may be beginning to take shape.
Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump鈥檚 special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, retired Gen. Keith Kellogg, all later this week will attend the Munich Security Conference, where the situation in Ukraine will be a major topic of discussion.
Kellogg told The Associated Press on Monday that he and the others would be talking to European officials about the very broad outlines of what Trump would like to see and gauging their interest.
鈥淲e will deliver our expectation to the allies,鈥� Kellogg said. 鈥淲hen we come back from Munich 鈥� we want to deliver to the president the options, so when he does get (directly) involved in the peace process, he knows what it will look like for him.鈥�
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Associated Press writers Josh Boak, Michelle L. Price, Darlene Superville and AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
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