An American teacher imprisoned to 14 years in a Russian prison has been freed and is heading home to reconnect with his family.
Marc Fogel was spotted on a trip to the United States, more than three years after being detained in Moscow for cocaine smuggling.
He was caught after flying with what his family claimed was medically authorized cannabis. In December, the US government declared him illegally held.
Mr Fogel departed Russia with Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, which sources claimed may assist bring forward talks to settle the Ukraine conflict.
According to US national security advisor Mike Waltz, “President Trump, Steve Witkoff, and the president’s advisers negotiated an exchange that serves as a show of good faith from the Russians”.
“By tonight, Marc Fogel will be on American soil and reunited with his family and loved ones thanks to President Trump’s leadership,” he said.
So yet, Moscow has not replied, and it is unknown what concessions the US may have made.
“We are beyond grateful, relieved, and overwhelmed that after more than three years of detention, our father, husband, and son, Marc Fogel, is finally coming home,” a spokesperson for the family said.
They described their separation as “the darkest and most painful period of our lives”.
Mr Waltz stated that the agreement was “a sign we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine”.
Donald Trump announced last month that his government was in “very serious” negotiations with Russia regarding the future of the conflict.
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