Trump adviser Steve Witkoff flew to Moscow on Feb. 11 where he received U.S. citizen Marc Fogel, who had been serving a 14-year sentence for attempting to bring marijuana and hashish into Russia. The move was seen as a sign of improving relations between Russia and the United States—and was in fact noted by both President Trump and President Putin in their subsequent Feb. 12 phone conversation.
On his arrival in the U.S., Fogel was taken to the White House, where President Donald Trump said the United States highly appreciated his release. “I appreciate very much what they did, letting Marc go home,” according to TASS. Describing the terms of the agreement with Russia as fair and reasonable, Trump indicated another prisoner might be released as well, but gave no details. For his part, Fogel said Russian President Vladimir Putin “was very generous and statesmanlike in granting me a pardon.”
