U.S. Secures Release of Detained Teacher Marc Fogel Amid Russia Diplomacy

The United States secured the release of American teacher Marc Fogel from Russian detention following negotiations led by envoy Steve Witkoff. Fogel had been held in Russia since 2021 for drug smuggling. This move is part of diplomacy efforts to improve U.S.-Russia relations amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

In a diplomatic breakthrough, Russia released American schoolteacher Marc Fogel following a covert visit to Moscow by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, as confirmed by the White House. Fogel, detained since August 2021, was freed as part of efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to improve relations with Russia and end the Ukraine war.

The negotiation, characterized as a goodwill exchange by the White House, signaled a positive shift towards resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. While the details of what the U.S. offered for Fogel's release remain undisclosed, Fogel's Russian lawyer corroborated the exchange to a state news outlet.

Witkoff, along with Fogel, departed Russian airspace, and Fogel is expected to reunite with his family in Washington. Fogel's initial arrest at Moscow's airport for drug smuggling led to a 14-year sentence, now curtailed through diplomatic efforts. His family expressed gratitude, seeing an end to a challenging chapter in their lives.

(With inputs from agencies.)