President Donald Trump is defending his decision to hold off on additional sanctions against Russia, arguing that imposing the measures could have derailed negotiations that led to the release of American Stephen Hubbard. Speaking to reporters on October 21, Trump said that if Washington had imposed the sanctions, Hubbard could have remained imprisoned for decades, declaring, “You’d never see him again. He’d be back in jail for 25 years.” The 74-year-old retired Michigan teacher was released by Russia on October 21 after spending more than four years in custody. Trump said he had personally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to free Hubbard, who was detained in Ukraine in April 2022 and later convicted of mercenary-related charges in a closed Russian court proceeding. The U.S. government had designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained, while his legal representatives disputed the allegations against him. His release was announced during a meeting in St. Petersburg between Putin and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, who was in Russia for discussions focused on the war in Ukraine.

Trump has portrayed Hubbard’s return as a diplomatic success achieved without a prisoner exchange, while linking the outcome to his administration’s decision to delay or waive certain sanctions against Moscow. He argued that imposing additional economic pressure during sensitive negotiations could have caused Russia to abandon discussions over the American’s release and potentially undermined broader efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The president also said Washington was nearing a possible agreement with Moscow, although no comprehensive peace deal had been confirmed. The decision to ease sanctions has drawn criticism from lawmakers concerned that reducing pressure on Russia could weaken Washington’s leverage over the Kremlin. Trump’s comments have also sharpened questions about whether the administration’s diplomatic approach can secure further concessions without offering Moscow significant policy benefits. While Hubbard’s release is a concrete outcome, the president’s claim that sanctions would have prevented it remains a counterfactual assertion that cannot be independently established.