“After my discussions with President Vladimir Putin, Russia has agreed to release him, very much on a Humanitarian Basis,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Included in the post was a photo of a gaunt-looking Gilman in a baseball cap aboard an airplane holding an American flag with several other smiling people.
“We appreciate this decision, and the fact that Russia asked for no one in return – No exchange took place,” Trump wrote.
Gilman was sentenced in 2022 by a court in south-western Russia to four and a half years in prison for assaulting a police officer. His sentence was later extended to 10 years for violence against prison staff.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio added his thanks in a statement to Russia for working with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to release Gilman “and allowing him to receive the necessary medical treatment here in the United States.”
In a recent message, Gilman’s sister, Lexie Hudson, had referred to a serious deterioration in his health, calling for his urgent release.
Rubio said while the Trump administration welcomed this “positive step,” it was still seeking the “immediate return of all other unjustly detained Americans, including wrongful detainee Stephen Hubbard.”
Hubbard, a retired English teacher, was sentenced in a closed trial in October 2024 to nearly seven years in prison for “mercenary work” on behalf of Ukraine, a charge he denies. (AFP)
