Mark Fogel Freed from Russia and Returns to the United States, Possible Hope for Ending Russia-Ukraine War

Mark Fogel Freed from Russia and Returns to the United States, Possible Hope for Ending Russia-Ukraine War

Washington – Mark Fogel, an American history teacher who was illegally detained by Russia, has been released and returned to the United States. The White House has described this as a breakthrough in diplomatic tensions, which may help move forward discussions for ending the war in Ukraine.

Special envoy of President Donald Trump, Steve Witkoff, brought Fogel back from Russia and escorted him to the White House, where Trump welcomed him.

“I now feel like the luckiest person in the world,” Fogel said while standing next to Trump, with an American flag draped over his shoulder.

Fogel, who hails from Pennsylvania and was expected to reunite with his family by the end of the day, expressed his gratitude to Trump and stated that he would forever be indebted to him.

Trump announced that another American would be released on Wednesday, but declined to mention the person's name or country, only referring to them as a “very special” individual. The president did not say whether he had discussed Fogel with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but Fogel praised the Russian leader as “very kind and political,” noting that he had forgiven him.

Trump said the terms of the release agreement were “very fair, very, very fair, very reasonable,” unlike previous agreements, which he considered not as just. However, he did not reveal what the United States had provided in exchange for Fogel’s release.

Fogel was arrested in August 2021 and was facing a 14-year prison sentence. His family and supporters have claimed that he was traveling with doctor-prescribed marijuana and was deemed illegally detained by President Joe Biden’s administration in December.

Michael Waltz, Trump’s National Security Advisor, stated that the United States and Russia had “reached an exchange agreement” to ensure Fogel’s release. He did not specify what the U.S. had given in return. In the past, sometimes mutual releases have taken place, with the U.S. or its allies releasing Russian prisoners in exchange.

Waltz mentioned that this move “signals that we are moving toward ending the brutal ongoing war in Ukraine.” Republican Trump has promised to find a way to end the conflict. He said he hopes to maintain good relations with Putin, who launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Last month, Trump stated that his administration was engaged in “very serious” discussions with Russia about the war.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said, “We’ve been treated very well by Russia, actually. I hope this is the beginning of a relationship where we can end that war.”

Fogel's family has expressed being “extremely grateful, reassured, and emotional” that he is coming home. “This has been the darkest and most painful time of our lives, but today, we are beginning to heal,” they said. “For the first time in years, our family can look toward the future with hope.”

There were no comments from Moscow regarding Fogel’s release on Tuesday.

In August, the United States, Russia, and other countries reached a major prisoner exchange deal, which resulted in the release of Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich and American corporate security officer Paul Whelan. However, the agreement did not secure the release of many Americans, including Fogel.