by Admin
Feb 12, 2025
United States President Donald Trump has welcomed home American schoolteacher Marc Fogel, who was released from a Russian prison as part of a negotiated exchange.
President Trump praised the deal, claiming Russian President Vladimir Putin received “not much” in return.
Fogel, a 63-year-old former diplomat, arrived at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C., late Tuesday before heading to the White House. His release was facilitated through negotiations, according to U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, though Russian officials have yet to comment on the exchange.
Standing beside Fogel at the White House, Trump remarked, “To me, he looks damned good.” He described the release as a “show of good faith” from Russia, suggesting it could be a significant step toward ending the war in Ukraine.
“We were treated very nicely by Russia,” Trump told reporters. “I hope this is the beginning of a relationship where we can end that war and stop millions of people from being killed.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly three years ago, hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians have died in the conflict.
President Trump also hinted at another detainee’s release, stating, “Somebody else is being released tomorrow,” without providing further details.
Expressing his relief, Fogel said, “I feel like the luckiest man on Earth right now. I’m a middle-class schoolteacher who’s now in a dream world.”
His sister, Anne Fogel, revealed that he had been transferred last Wednesday from a penal colony in Rybinsk, Russia. While the family had been aware of ongoing negotiations, she described the process as “very tenuous.”
Following Fogel’s arrival on U.S. soil, the White House posted on X, “PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT!” alongside a photo of him.
Fogel was arrested in 2021 at a Russian airport for possession of a small amount of medical marijuana, which had been legally prescribed in the United States. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison on drug charges by the Russian court.
His legal team credited PresidTrump for securing his release, criticizing what they called the Biden administration’s “bureaucratic inaction.” In a statement, his lawyers said, “President Trump secured Marc’s release in just a few weeks, wasting no time in taking decisive action to bring him home.”