After more than three years of imprisonment in Russia for a cannabis-related offense, American teacher Marc Fogel was released and received a White House welcome from President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening. The US President said Moscow agreed to the release of the former US Embassy employee, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for drug dealing, in a “very fair and reasonable agreement” without demanding much in return.
The Kremlin has not yet made a statement on the matter, but the White House hailed the development as a “sign of good will” after US Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, returned to the US with the freed Fogel on Tuesday.
The official White House statement on its website reads: “Promises made, promises kept. President Trump promised the Fogel family he would bring Marc home and today Marc is on his way. After three and a half years of imprisonment in Russia, Marc is finally free.”
Trump told a gathering of media representatives: “We were treated very well by Russia. . It’s a sign of good will of the Russians and a sign that we’re moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine.”
When asked if Washington had given Moscow “something in return” Trump paused before responding, “Not much. No, they were very nice.”
During the day, Trump personally greeted Fogel at the White House, but declined to reveal details of the deal, hinting that “someone else will be released tomorrow and you’ll know who it is.” In response to a reporter’s question, he began, “They were very, very fair. Very reasonable. Not like the offers we’ve seen in the last few years.”
The US President reiterated his hope that this event would pave the way to ending the Ukraine conflict. When asked if he had personally spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Fogel’s release, Trump said, “I don’t want to say that. I just want to say that I greatly appreciate what they did in letting Marc go home (..) We appreciate President Putin’s. what he did.”
Fogel also expressed his gratitude, calling the President and all those involved in the deal heroes. He described Putin as “very generous” and “statesmanlike” for enabling his return home, after spending more than three years in prison for “drug dealing.” Trump said it was “an honor” to have played a “small role” in the release.
Fogel worked almost a decade as a history teacher at the Anglo-American School in Moscow, where children of US diplomats were among his students. In May 2021, he lost his diplomatic immunity. In August of the same year, he was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport after authorities found marijuana and hash oil in his possession. In the subsequent court hearing, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison, after Russian officials accused him of hiding the prohibited substances in his personal belongings.