In his first comments since recently being released from a Russian prison, a retired Michigan teacher said he only believed he would be freed when he got new clothes. Stephen Hubbard, 74, remarked on Friday that he had heard many times previously that he would be released – but never really trusted what he was told, adopting a philosophy of “seeing is believing” and “actions speak louder than words”. His legal team has denied the Russian accusations and said he was not involved in any military activity.
Trump has previously said that he had asked Russian leader Vladimir Putin to free Hubbard – and that the US did not have to release anyone in return. The White House allowed a limited pool of journalists into Trump’s meeting with Hubbard, allowing primarily news photographers and a television crew. Many in the international community perceived Hubbard’s release to be Russia’s latest maneuver to bring Trump closer to Putin’s position on the war in Ukraine.
It also offered Trump a diplomatic victory ahead of the 3 November midterm elections, when his Republican party is expected to lose seats in Congress. The contributed reporting
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