Senior Trump ally calls Vladimir Putin a 'humanitarian' after release of retired US schoolteacher

A senior ally of President Donald Trump called Vladimir Putin a "humanitarian" after the release of a US teacher, drawing the ire of Washington.

Steve Witkoff called the Russian President a "humanitarian" in thanking him for the move, a remark that drew sharp rebuke from Republican and Democratic lawmakers, given Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Russia freed Stephen Hubbard, a retired US schoolteacher in custody since 2022, from prison on Wednesday and took him to St Petersburg to fly back to the United States.

Mr Hubbard, a native of Michigan, had been serving a prison sentence of six years and 10 months in Russia following a conviction for mercenary activity in a closed-door trial.

However, Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Mr Putin had freed Hubbard, 74, at President Trump's request, and that he had also taken into account the American's poor health.

President Trump later confirmed he had asked Mr Putin on a call in recent days, and the Russian leader agreed.

Mr Witkoff told Mr Putin in the meeting shown on Russian state TV. "The president sends his thanks, our whole nation sends their thanks, because of Stephen Hubbard...Because of you he's going home to his family."

President Trump told reporters late Wednesday that Mr Hubbard had landed and would be visiting the White House "over the next day or so."

Mr Witkoff's praise for Mr Putin over Mr Hubbard's release was met with scorn by some in Washington.

Republican US Senator from North Carolina Thom Tillis said: "Look up the definition of 'humanitarian.' What an embarrassing and outrageous thing to say."

Meanwhile, Democrat Senator Chris Coons said: "Putin is a killer and a thug, murdering Ukrainian children, dropping bombs on neighbourhoods, and tearing families apart.

"Calling him a humanitarian is like calling Witkoff qualified or capable of doing this job. What are we doing here?"

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When asked about Mr Witkoff's comment, "Well, I guess you have to say for that particular purpose, for the purpose of allowing a man, who was thinking he was going to be in prison for life, out. But I wouldn't say anything one way or the other."

The US "gave nothing in exchange" for the prisoner release, Mr Trump said, adding "we're getting closer" to settling the war.

Meanwhile, the President said of Mr Hubbard. "He is the happiest man around.

"This was very surprising to him, but I did it; it really took place on a phone call at the end of last week with President Putin, so we appreciate it very much. And his family is extremely happy."

Mr Witkoff called the talks with the Kremlin "constructive" and said in a post he had also met Ukrainian and European leaders in Oslo to advance President Trump's mission to end the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he supported the US proposal for three-way talks with Russia and the US at the negotiator level, to be held as soon as possible, preferably by early November.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, who also met with Witkoff, had earlier said the talks will likely happen in mid-November and focus on a potential post-conflict security structure.

On Wednesday evening, officials in Kyiv said Russian forces attacked the capital city with ballistic missiles that damaged homes and a petrol station and caused injuries.

Mr Hubbard was arrested in April 2022 in the eastern Ukrainian city of Izyum, where Russian prosecutors alleged he had been manning a Ukrainian military checkpoint.

Prosecutors said Mr Hubbard had joined a Ukrainian territorial defence unit, received training, weapons and ammunition, and was promised $1,000 a month.

Russian state media reported he pleaded guilty to the charges.

However, Mr Hubbard's US-based lawyer, Martin De Luca, previously told reporters that the retired teacher told him the charges were false and that he was not in any combat or military unit.