U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on October 21, 2026, to oversee Stephen Hubbard's release and discuss resuming trilateral peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States

From the articleRussia frees retired US schoolteacher Stephen Hubbard in goodwill gesture as Putin meets WitkoffAlso in US Citizen Accused By Moscow Of Fighting For Ukraine Released From Russian Prison, Detained American Stephen Hubbard released by Russia as Witkoff meets Putin, Russia frees 74-year-old American Stephen Hubbard it captured in occupied Ukraine | CNN