Russia releases American teacher Marc Fogel after four years arrested

Russia released American professor Marc Fogel on Tuesday after an unlisted visit from the US special Steve Witkoff to Moscow, the White House said.

The 63 -year -old Fogel release has been detained in Russia since August 2021, occurs while US President Donald Trump seeks to improve relations with Moscow as part of an effort to ensure the end of the war in Ukraine.

“President Trump, Steve Witkoff and the president’s advisers negotiated a change that serves as a demonstration of good faith of the Russians and a sign that we are going in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine,” said the counselor White House National Security Mike Waltz.

The White House did not report what the United States may have offered in exchange for Fogel’s release, what Russian Fogel lawyer Dmitry Ovsyannikov, told state news agency without providing details.

Waltz said Witkoff, Trump’s main envoy to the Middle East, was leaving Russian airspace with Fogel, which is from Pennsylvania. An White House employee said Fogel could stop at Washington.

“Until tonight, Marc Fogel will be on American soil and gathered with his family and loved ones thanks to President Trump’s leadership,” said Waltz.

Fogel was sentenced to 14 years in prison for drug trafficking after being detained at Sheremethevo de Moscow airport in August 2021 with 17 grams of marijuana – which he claims to use for medical reasons – in his luggage.

“We are more than grateful, relieved and thrilled that, after more than three years of detention, our father, husband and son, Marc Fogel, are finally coming home,” the Fogel family said in a statement.

The American teacher was left out of a historical prisoner exchange last August, which involved 24 prisoners – 16 envoy from Russia to the West, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, and eight back to West Russia. .

“This has been the darker and most painful period of our lives, but today we begin to heal,” added the Fogel family.

Trump indicated that he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but was vacant on the details, and says he insists on ending the three -year war in Ukraine.

“We are doing good progress there. I think, I really think we’re doing very good progress, ”Trump told reporters about Ukraine on Tuesday.

This content was originally published in Russia releases American teacher Marc Fogel after four years arrested on the CNN Brazil website.

Source: CNN Brasil

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