American school student Mark Phogel released by Russia

American school students and former diplomat Mark Phogel landed in America after being released from jail in Russia.

The 63 -year -old landed in Andrews, a joint base outside Washington DC on Tuesday evening. He is later set to meet President Donald Trump at the White House.

The release of Mr. Phogel was interacted with Russia as part of an exchanges, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said on Tuesday and without providing details.

Russia has not commented on its release. Meanwhile, Mr. Phogel’s sister told the BBC of “big relief” in her freedom.

“I am planning to celebrate through the next 24 hours,” said Anne Phogel. “We are very happy.”

He said that his brother, who detained in Russia in 2021, was transferred from a punishment colony to Rybinsk last Wednesday. He said that the family knew that his release was a possibility, but also “these dialogues are very difficult”.

After landing on the American soil, the White House posted on X: “Promises were made, promises were kept!” With a picture of Mr. Phogel.

In a statement received by CBS News, BBC American news partners, his wife Jane and sons Ethan and Sam said: “This has been the deepest and most painful period of our life, but today, we start fixing.”

Mr. Phogel was arrested in 2021 at an airport for illegal possession of Canbis.

He was accused of carrying a small amount of medical marijuana, which was determined in the US, and sentenced to 14 years in jail.

Mr. Phogel’s legal team thanked Trump for his role in the conversation and criticized what he said to the “bureaucracy inactivity” of the previous Biden administration.

“President Trump secured Mark’s release in a few weeks, wasting no time to take decisive action to bring Mark home,” a statement by his lawyers also sent the CBS.

Mr. Phogel was not misrepresented until December 2024, despite the US government initiated his sentence in 2022.

His family tried to push the former President Joe Biden to secure his release, and was left disappointed when he was out of prison exchanges in 2022 and 2024.

The US basketball star Brittany Grinner, who was arrested in Russia in 2022 on the same charge of cannabis capture, was 10 months later Russian weapon dealer Victor was freed in an exchange for bout,

Subsequently, as part of the Biden administration received the release of three more Americans last year, as part The largest prisoner exchange between Russia and West since the Cold WarThe Americans were Wall Street Journal reporter Ivan Gorskovic, US Marine Veteran Paul Vehlan, and Russian-American radio journalist Alasu Kurmasheva.

Anne Phogel Told BBC At the time of feeling “betrayal”, when he came to know that his brother was not included in the prisoner exchange – which Biden appreciated as “tricks of diplomacy”.

Pittsburgh was a teacher at the Anglo-American School in Moscow, Mr Phogel, Pennsylvania. He first worked as a diplomat at the US Embassy.

While in jail, he allegedly taught English to fellow prisoners.

It is not clear that the US released someone in exchange for Mr. Phogel.

Mr. Phogel flew to the US with a special messenger in the Middle East of Steve Witcoff, President Donald Trump.

Witcoff’s visit to Russia is the first time by a senior American official of the country in many years. Most of the contacts between nations were closed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

National Security Advisor Waltz said that Mr. Phogel’s release was “a demonstration of good faith from the Russians and a sign that we are moving in the right direction to end the cruel and terrible war in Ukraine”. He did not give further details.

President Trump earlier announced on Tuesday that Treasury Secretary Scott Besant would travel to Ukraine later this week.

During his presidential campaign, Trump promised to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours.

But in an interview with Fox News on Monday, he said: “They (Ukraine) can make a deal, they cannot make a deal. They may be dandruff someday, or they may not be dandruff someday . “

When asked about the links made by the authorities amid the release and struggle in Ukraine by the BBC, Anne Phogel said: “These are the giant system of world politics in the game.

“It’s going to be interesting to look back on it and to see how it fits all and … how does history play.”