Trump welcomes freed US teacher Marc Fogel to White House, hints at another release

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump welcomed American teacher Marc Fogel to the White House late Tuesday following his release after more than three years of detention in Russia.

Trump also announced that another individual would be released Wednesday, though he did not provide further details.

Fogel, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison on drug charges, was designated as “wrongfully detained” by the US in 2024. His release marks a significant diplomatic development as Trump seeks to end the Russian war in Ukraine, which will mark its third year on Feb. 24.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Fogel expressed gratitude for the efforts that secured his freedom.

“I feel like the luckiest man on Earth right now. I want you to know that I am not a hero in this at all, and President Trump is a hero. These men that came from the diplomatic service are heroes. The Senators and Representatives that passed legislation in my honor to get me home are the heroes. I am in awe of what they all did,” he said.

Trump in turn welcomed Fogel back, saying: “It’s great to have you back, and have a great life.”

- 'Important evening' for ending the war in Ukraine

Asked if he had spoken directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin to facilitate Fogel’s release, Trump declined to answer.

“I just want to say that I appreciate very much what they did in letting Marc go home, and I appreciate Steve Witkoff,” he said, referring to his special envoy to the Middle East.

Regarding the terms of the deal that led to Fogel’s release, Trump characterized them as “very fair, very reasonable. Not like deals you've seen over the years.”

Trump also hinted at a release on Wednesday, saying: “Somebody else is being released tomorrow that you will know of. But we wanted to get this done. Very important. And Steve wanted to actually fly over and get Marc and get him home properly, because it could be a pretty tough trip.”

Asked whether this development could mark the beginning of a deal, Trump suggested that it could play a role in efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

“I think there’s goodwill in terms of the war. A million and a half soldiers, young people, have been killed. It’s a terrible thing going on, so we want to get that done. I think this could be a very important element. It could be a big, important part of getting the war over with Ukraine. And we appreciate President Putin—what he did,” he said.

“This evening is a very important evening for ending that war, and I think they all want to see it ended,” he added.