Russia treated US ‘very nicely’ – Trump
The president has said he hopes the release of an American national will mark the “beginning of a relationship” to end the Ukraine conflict | US President Donald Trump has said that Moscow agreed to release Marc Fogel, a former US Embassy employee and teacher sentenced to 14 years in prison on drug trafficking charges, as part of a “very fair and reasonable deal” without asking “much” in return. ● The Kremlin has not yet commented in the development, but the White House praised the move as a “show of good faith” after US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff brought Fogel back to the US on Tuesday.
■ FACTBOX: Russia releases US citizen Marc Fogel from custody (TASS) [...] Fogel worked as a teacher at an Anglo-American school in Moscow and was previously an employee of the US embassy. He was an official diplomat until May 2021, along with his spouse. Fogel was detained upon arrival in Moscow on an August 14, 2021 flight from New York. Customs officers stopped him at Sheremetyevo airport when he was passing through the green corridor. The search of his luggage revealed marijuana and cannabis oil. The court sentenced Fogel to 14 years in prison for drug smuggling. Last December, the Russian Supreme Court refused to consider Fogel's appeal.
■ US to release Russian citizen ‘in coming days’ – Kremlin (RT)
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