By Diyar Guldogan
WASHINGTON (AA) - American Marc Fogel, who was behind bars in Russia since 2021, was freed, the White House announced on Tuesday.
"President Trump, Steve Witkoff and the president’s advisors 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.
Donald Trump's special envoy Witkoff is leaving Russian airspace with Fogel, Waltz said, adding Fogel is expected to be on American soil and reunited with his family by tonight.
Fogel, an American schoolteacher, was serving a 14-year sentence in Russia on drug charges and was designated as "wrongfully detained" by the US in 2024.