Towven.com – Marc Fogel, an American teacher who was held in a Russian prison for more than three years, was welcomed back to the U.S. by President Donald Trump on Tuesday night after the White House arranged for his release through a “swap.”
Fogel arrived at the White House late Tuesday, draped in an American flag, and was warmly received by Trump, who stated that it was “an honor to have played a small role” in facilitating his return.
“Thank you all, I love our country, and I’m overjoyed to be back. I wish I could express my feelings better,” Fogel said, visibly emotional as he spoke in the Diplomatic Reception Room.
The agreement for Fogel’s release, who was classified as wrongfully detained by the U.S. State Department, was negotiated by Trump, Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and the President’s advisors, according to a statement from National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.
The statement did not disclose specific details about the “swap,” only mentioning that it was “a gesture of goodwill from the Russians and a sign that we are making progress toward ending the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine.”
Trump did not elaborate on the specifics of the exchange during his remarks on Tuesday night, but he described it as “very fair, very reasonable, unlike deals you’ve seen in the past,” adding that the conditions of Fogel’s release would be revealed on Wednesday.
When asked if this release could lead to a peace agreement, Trump remarked, “There’s goodwill regarding the war,” and praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for his involvement.
“You could play a significant role in this, as it could be a crucial part of bringing the war in Ukraine to an end,” Trump said, addressing Fogel as they stood together. “We appreciate President Putin for what he did. He was able to make this happen for you, right?”
Trump confirmed that another American is anticipated to be released but did not provide further details. There are still several Americans detained in Russia, with at least two designated as wrongfully detained: American Stephen Hubbard and Russian-American dual national Ksenia Karelina.
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Earlier in the evening, Trump’s nominee for special envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, hinted on “The Source” about the release of another detained American on Wednesday but did not specify whether that individual was in Russia. “That will be a surprise for tomorrow,” he told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
Boehler, speaking alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, clarified that Fogel’s release would not occur as a direct one-for-one exchange with a Russian held in the U.S. at the same time.
“You won’t see an exchange happening right now. I think you will see the president consider if there are some nonviolent individuals where there are no issues on either side, but you will not see a one-for-one exchange happening simultaneously,” he stated from Joint Base Andrews ahead of Fogel’s arrival.
In an extraordinary move, Witkoff personally traveled to Russia to bring Fogel back, as indicated in Waltz’s statement. There has been no known high-level U.S. travel to Russia since the onset of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.
Witkoff, who serves as Trump’s Middle East envoy and had no previously known official dealings with Russia, was involved partly because he leveraged relationships in the Middle East to advance the agreement, according to two individuals briefed on the discussions.
Witkoff has been actively engaged in the region in recent months, working on a Gaza ceasefire deal, particularly in Qatar, a key mediator. Doha played a role in assisting Witkoff and the administration with Tuesday’s exchange deal through introductions made to Russian intermediaries, the sources said.
‘Today, We Begin to Heal,’ Says Family
Fogel expressed his gratitude to his family, whom he described as “a force,” and stated that he felt “indebted to so many people.”
Earlier in the day, his family expressed their immense relief and gratitude, stating they were “beyond grateful, relieved, and overwhelmed that after more than three years of detention” he was finally coming home.
“Thanks to the unwavering leadership of President Trump, Marc will soon be back on American soil, free where he belongs,” said Jane, Ethan, and Sam Fogel in a statement. “This has been the darkest and most painful period of our lives, but today, we begin to heal.”
Fogel’s sister, Anne Fogel, shared with CNN’s Erin Burnett on “OutFront” that his wife and children were heading to Texas to see him on Wednesday due to a winter storm in Washington, D.C. She mentioned that the family had been informed last week about her brother’s transfer from a prison in Rybinsk, which led them to believe something significant was happening, and they had been anxiously waiting.
“We are truly jubilant. We are celebrating,” Anne Fogel said.
