The Trump administration successfully negotiated the release of an American citizen and two other detainees held in prison in Belarus, according to the White House.
Adam Boehler, the U.S. envoy for hostages, said the three were released in a “daring operation” that involved “going to borders with hoods.”
Boehler stated that the American citizen prefers to remain private, but the others are Alena Maushuk who was detained in 2020, and a “well-known journalist,” likely referring to Andrey Kuznechyk, who was detained in 2021 while on a bike ride near his home in Minsk. He added that two weeks ago, American citizen Anastasia Nuhfer was also released.
“It is a big day for team America, for the president, for the secretary of state,” Kara McDonald, the U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania, said during a CNN interview. “We just welcomed them here a few minutes ago.”
Chris Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Eastern European affairs, said he went into Belarus to retrieve the individuals.
“We have one American citizen, which is a huge win and a response to President Trump’s peace through strength agenda,” he said. “The Belarusians are responding to this and we are going to keep working until we get all Americans out.”
The release comes a day after Marc Fogel, who endured more than three years in a Russian penal colony, joined Trump at the White House following his return to freedom in the United States.
“I feel like the luckiest man on earth right now,” Fogel said. “I want you to know that I am not a hero in this at all and President Trump is a hero. These men that came from the diplomatic service are heroes. The senators and representatives that passed legislation in my honor to get me home are heroes. I am in awe of what they all did.”
Fogel, 63, was given a 14-year prison sentence for possessing medical marijuana in 2021. An employee of the Anglo-American School of Moscow, Fogel spent 27 years teaching overseas, and was planning to retire the year he was arrested. An American doctor prescribed the marijuana after Fogel had surgeries on his back, shoulder, and knee.
Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, negotiated Fogel’s release and retrieved him from Russia on his private jet.
“I love our country,” Fogel said, choking up. “I am so happy to be back here.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump announced the start of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine following a “highly productive” 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Belarus is a strong ally of Moscow.
“We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Trump said he is tasking Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Witkoff with leading the negotiations.
