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Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russian release ‘bipartisan' effort with Trump: Marc Fogel lawyer
(NewsNation) — An attorney representing American teacher Marc Fogel, who was detained in Russia, says his release was secured after a joint bipartisan effort but that the Trump administration took it to the finish line. Sasha Phillips, a lawyer for Fogel, told NewsNation the process of bringing Fogel home was years in the making. 'This was a joint bipartisan effort from the very beginning,' Phillips said, 'but I believe it was the negotiating power of the current administration that brought this all together and ultimately brought Marc home.' Marc Fogel thanks Trump for his release from Russia Phillips also said Fogel's release signals a shift in U.S.-Russian relations 'for the better.' The attorney added this was also a 'gesture of goodwill' by Russian President Vladimir Putin and indicated that there may be 'more negotiations coming; perhaps better things are up ahead.' Fogel, an American history teacher from just outside Pittsburgh, was traveling to Russia to work at a Moscow school in 2021 when he was detained. His family and supporters said he had been traveling with medically prescribed marijuana. Almost a year later, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison. The Interfax news agency said Fogel taught at the Anglo-American School in Moscow and had worked at the U.S. Embassy. Interfax cited court officials as saying Fogel admitted guilt. In December, the State Department announced that Fogel had been designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained. Fogel release a sign of Trump, Putin's 'great friendship': Witkoff Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NewsNation that Russia asked for nothing in exchange for Fogel, while Trump said Tuesday that the terms of his release were 'fair.' Trump greeted Fogel at the White House on Tuesday night. Fogel thanked Trump and members of his administration for his safe return, adding that the 'superorganism of people' supporting him helped him sustain for more than three years in Russian prison. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
American among 3 detainees released from Belarus
An American is one of three hostages released from Belarus, the White House has announced. The identity of the hostage has not been released as the person wishes to remain private, U.S. Envoy for Hostages Adam Boehler said. "He's made bringing hostages home a top priority and people respect that," Boehler said of President Donald Trump while announcing the releases. Secretary Of State Rubio Hails Release Of Us Prisoner In Belarus As Controversy Hangs Over Nation's Election White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt hailed the releases as another example of the president's strong leadership skills. "That speaks to President Trump's dealmaking ability," Leavitt said. Read On The Fox News App Leavitt said the two other prisoners released were Belarus nationals, one of whom is a journalist for Radio Liberty, a U.S. government-funded media organization. The outlet named the journalist as Andrey Kuznechyk, who worked for the outlet's Belarus service. Radio Liberty said that Kuznechyk had been detained initially for 10 days on hooliganism charges and then kept in prison on accusations that he had created or participated in an extremist organization. The outlet said the charges were politically motivated. "It's a remarkable victory on the heels of Marc Fogel returning to America last night," Leavitt said. Fogel, an American who had been detained in Russia since 2021, landed back in the U.S. on Tuesday. The history teacher was working at the Anglo-American School in Moscow and returned to the U.S. after his release from Russia following talks with the Trump administration. He was serving a 14-year sentence after his arrest in August 2021 at a Russian airport for possession of drugs, which his family said was medically prescribed marijuana. Wednesday's announcement came just moments after Trump posted to Truth Social that he had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Those discussions included the Russian leader agreeing to "immediately" begin negotiations over the war in Ukraine. Freed American Hostage Marc Fogel Lands In Us After Years In Russian Captivity Last month, American Anastassia Nuhfer was also released from a Belarus prison. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the release at the time and said that she had been "taken" under the Biden administration. It wasn't clear why she was detained, but a former high-ranking Belarusian diplomat indicated that her detention was connected to the 2020 protests in Belarus. The exact nature of her involvement remains unclear. Fox News understands today's release was the second part of a two-part deal, with Nuhfer's release being the first part. Belarus, formerly part of the Soviet Union, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe that is closely allied with Russia. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko extended his more than three decades in power last month in what political commentators say were orchestrated article source: American among 3 detainees released from Belarus
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Things to know about Russia's release of American Marc Fogel and the impact on ending Ukraine war
The U.S. and Russia agreed to a prisoner swap involving Marc Fogel, an American schoolteacher who the Biden administration had deemed wrongfully detained by Russia, in a diplomatic move that the White House said could move forward negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Soon after, President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to begin working toward winding down the conflict in Ukraine. Here are some things to know about the prisoner swap: See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Who is Marc Fogel and why was he detained? Fogel, an American history teacher from just outside Pittsburgh, was traveling to Russia to work at a Moscow school in 2021 when he was detained. His family and supporters said he had been traveling with medically prescribed marijuana. Almost a year later, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison. The Interfax news agency said Fogel taught at the Anglo-American School in Moscow and had worked at the U.S. Embassy. Interfax cited court officials as saying Fogel admitted guilt. The State Department in December announced that Fogel had been designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained. Who was involved in the hostage swap for Fogel? While not yet publicly announced, Alexander Vinnik, a convicted Russian criminal, was being freed in exchange for the release of Fogel, according to people familiar with the deal who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic details. Vinnik was arrested in 2017 in Greece at the request of the U.S. on cryptocurrency fraud charges. He was later brought to the U.S. and pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was being held in California before the swap was finalized, the officials said. Where did Fogel go when he returned? Fogel flew back to the U.S. late Tuesday after more than three years of detention and was welcomed at the White House by Trump. Standing next to Trump with an American flag draped around his shoulders, Fogel said he felt like the luckiest man on Earth. The White House on Wednesday declined to disclose Fogel's whereabouts, saying that he had spoken with his wife, his two children and his 95-year-old mother. What is the significance of the prisoner swap? Following the prisoner exchange, Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a long phone call and agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine was the main focus of the call, during which Putin emphasized the need to remove the root causes of the conflict and agreed with Trump that a long-term settlement could be achieved through peace talks. ___ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.
The Hill
12-02-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Things to know about Russia's release of American Marc Fogel and the impact on ending Ukraine war
The U.S. and Russia agreed to a prisoner swap involving Marc Fogel, an American schoolteacher who the Biden administration had deemed wrongfully detained by Russia, in a diplomatic move that the White House said could move forward negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Soon after, President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to begin working toward winding down the conflict in Ukraine. Here are some things to know about the prisoner swap: Who is Marc Fogel and why was he detained? Fogel, an American history teacher from just outside Pittsburgh, was traveling to Russia to work at a Moscow school in 2021 when he was detained. His family and supporters said he had been traveling with medically prescribed marijuana. Almost a year later, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison. The Interfax news agency said Fogel taught at the Anglo-American School in Moscow and had worked at the U.S. Embassy. Interfax cited court officials as saying Fogel admitted guilt. The State Department in December announced that Fogel had been designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained. Who was involved in the hostage swap for Fogel? While not yet publicly announced, Alexander Vinnik, a convicted Russian criminal, was being freed in exchange for the release of Fogel, according to people familiar with the deal who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic details. Vinnik was arrested in 2017 in Greece at the request of the U.S. on cryptocurrency fraud charges. He was later brought to the U.S. and pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was being held in California before the swap was finalized, the officials said. Where did Fogel go when he returned? Fogel flew back to the U.S. late Tuesday after more than three years of detention and was welcomed at the White House by Trump. Standing next to Trump with an American flag draped around his shoulders, Fogel said he felt like the luckiest man on Earth. The White House on Wednesday declined to disclose Fogel's whereabouts, saying that he had spoken with his wife, his two children and his 95-year-old mother. What is the significance of the prisoner swap? Following the prisoner exchange, Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a long phone call and agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine was the main focus of the call, during which Putin emphasized the need to remove the root causes of the conflict and agreed with Trump that a long-term settlement could be achieved through peace talks. ___
The Independent
12-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Things to know about Russia's release of American Marc Fogel and the impact on ending Ukraine war
The U.S. and Russia agreed to a prisoner swap involving Marc Fogel, an American schoolteacher who the Biden administration had deemed wrongfully detained by Russia, in a diplomatic move that the White House said could move forward negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Soon after, President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to begin working toward winding down the conflict in Ukraine. Here are some things to know about the prisoner swap: Who is Marc Fogel and why was he detained? Fogel, an American history teacher from just outside Pittsburgh, was traveling to Russia to work at a Moscow school in 2021 when he was detained. His family and supporters said he had been traveling with medically prescribed marijuana. Almost a year later, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison. The Interfax news agency said Fogel taught at the Anglo-American School in Moscow and had worked at the U.S. Embassy. Interfax cited court officials as saying Fogel admitted guilt. The State Department in December announced that Fogel had been designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained. Who was involved in the hostage swap for Fogel? While not yet publicly announced, Alexander Vinnik, a convicted Russian criminal, was being freed in exchange for the release of Fogel, according to people familiar with the deal who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic details. Vinnik was arrested in 2017 in Greece at the request of the U.S. on cryptocurrency fraud charges. He was later brought to the U.S. and pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was being held in California before the swap was finalized, the officials said. Where did Fogel go when he returned? Fogel flew back to the U.S. late Tuesday after more than three years of detention and was welcomed at the White House by Trump. Standing next to Trump with an American flag draped around his shoulders, Fogel said he felt like the luckiest man on Earth. The White House on Wednesday declined to disclose Fogel's whereabouts, saying that he had spoken with his wife, his two children and his 95-year-old mother. What is the significance of the prisoner swap? Following the prisoner exchange, Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a long phone call and agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine was the main focus of the call, during which Putin emphasized the need to remove the root causes of the conflict and agreed with Trump that a long-term settlement could be achieved through peace talks. ___ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.
