**US Teacher Released from Russian Prison**
A US teacher, Marc Fogel, was released from prison in Russia on February 11. Fogel was jailed for possessing marijuana, which his family says was prescribed for medical use.
Fogel was arrested at a Russian airport in August 2021 and sentenced to 14 years in prison. His family had been pushing for his release after he was excluded from a high-profile prisoner swap in August 2024.
**Exchange Deal**
The Kremlin released Fogel as part of an exchange deal with the US government. A US official, Steve Witkoff, flew Fogel out of Russia on his private plane. The details of the exchange deal have not been disclosed.
Fogel’s family thanked former President Donald Trump for arranging the deal. “We are beyond grateful and relieved that our father is finally coming home,” they said in a statement.
**US-Russia Relations**
The release of Fogel comes as tensions between the US and Russia remain high over Ukraine. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov had said in December 2024 that Moscow would be open to participating in another prisoner exchange with the US.
Fogel’s release is seen as a sign of progress in Trump’s attempts to broker a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. However, many US nationals remain imprisoned in Russia, including several Americans serving lengthy sentences or awaiting trial.
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