Russia has released American schoolteacher Marc Fogel, who had been detained since 2021, following an unannounced diplomatic visit to Moscow by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. President Donald Trump confirmed Fogel’s release, describing it as a goodwill gesture from Russia.
Fogel, 63, was serving a 14-year sentence for drug smuggling, after being detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport in August 2021 with 17 grams of marijuana, which he claimed was for medical use. His release comes as Trump works to strengthen relations with Moscow while seeking an end to the Ukraine war.
Trump told reporters that Fogel would visit the White House upon his return to the U.S. and that he was reunited with his family on Tuesday night. A photo posted by Trump’s chief hostage envoy Adam Boehler showed Fogel aboard a plane, holding a glass of wine and his U.S. passport.
When asked what the U.S. gave up in exchange for Fogel’s release, Trump responded, “Not much”, framing the move as a sign of good faith from Russia.
Fogel’s Russian lawyer confirmed his release but said it was unclear on what legal grounds he was freed. He had been moved from a prison in Rybinsk to a pre-trial detention center in Moscow ahead of his release.
Fogel had previously been excluded from the August 2024 prisoner swap, which saw 16 prisoners freed from Russia in exchange for eight sent back from the West.
Trump has hinted at ongoing talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and described “good progress” toward resolving the Ukraine conflict, though he has not provided specifics.
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The Federal Reserve on Wednesday reduced its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point to a range of 4–4.25%, responding to slowing economic growth and persistently high inflation.
The European Commission has proposed sanctions against several Israeli Cabinet ministers and violent settlers, alongside a partial suspension of Israel’s trade privileges with the bloc.
AD Ports Group has signed a contract with Baku Shipyard in Azerbaijan to build two 780-TEU shallow-draft container vessels for trade across the Caspian Sea.
The United Nations will give low-income countries more money to help them attend COP30, the global climate summit set to take place in Brazil this November, in view of soaring accommodation costs in the Amazonian city of Belem.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have formalised a mutual defence agreement, reinforcing a decades-long security partnership, Pakistani state television reported on Wednesday.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday that Russia bears responsibility for damage to a house in the village of Wyryki in eastern Poland. This statement comes amid media reports suggesting that the incident may have been caused by a stray Polish missile rather than a Russian drone.
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday reduced its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point to a range of 4–4.25%, responding to slowing economic growth and persistently high inflation.
The European Commission has proposed sanctions against several Israeli Cabinet ministers and violent settlers, alongside a partial suspension of Israel’s trade privileges with the bloc.
AD Ports Group has signed a contract with Baku Shipyard in Azerbaijan to build two 780-TEU shallow-draft container vessels for trade across the Caspian Sea.
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