Abdelrahman
On Tuesday, President Trump facilitated the release of an American citizen held in Russia, following a negotiation with the Kremlin that was led by his special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
Marc Fogel, an educator who was detained in August 2021 for allegedly bringing medical marijuana into Russia, has been freed and transported out of the country aboard Mr. Witkoff’s aircraft. Fogel had been sentenced to 14 years in prison starting in June 2022, although the Biden administration only deemed him as wrongfully detained toward the end of the previous year.
Steve Witkoff, a billionaire real estate mogul from New York and a close associate of President Trump, conducted the discussions for the release in secrecy. However, his arrival in Moscow was made known when he was spotted flying there on his private jet, which caught the attention of flight tracking services. This marked the first visit to Moscow by a senior U.S. official since William J. Burns, then director of the CIA, visited in November 2021 to discuss avoiding a potential invasion of Ukraine.
Mike Waltz, national security adviser under Trump, confirmed in a statement that Fogel’s exit from Russia was executed on the president’s orders as part of a broader exchange. However, he did not disclose whether the U.S. or its allies had reciprocated by releasing someone in return, nor did he provide specifics on other actions the administration undertook to secure Fogel’s freedom.
“President Trump, Steve Witkoff, and the president’s advisory team negotiated an exchange that demonstrates goodwill from the Russians and indicates positive steps towards resolving the ongoing and devastating conflict in Ukraine,” Mr. Waltz remarked.
