# Is This The ‘Second Coming’ Of The US-Russia Detente?

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/is-this-the-second-coming-of-the-us-russia-detente/
- Published: 2026-11-09T19:06:23+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-09T19:40:53+00:00
- Original publisher: The Daily Caller (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://dailycaller.com/2026/11/09/opinion-us-russia-detente-stephen-james-hubbard-kenneth-rapoza
- Topics: Americas, Europe, Politics, World

## Key points

- Stephen Hubbard has been released from Russian custody.
- Lawyers on both sides helped with his case.
- The article sees a possible, limited diplomatic opening.

## Summary

The article presents the release of Stephen James Hubbard, an elderly American who had been imprisoned in Russia, as a possible small sign of renewed US-Russia engagement. It argues that his return involved cooperation across political and legal lines, while stressing that the release alone does not establish a broader diplomatic reset.

Hubbard was arrested in Izium in April 2022 and sentenced to about seven years in prison in October 2024 on a charge of fighting as a mercenary. Russian and American lawyers helped locate him, support his health and contact with family, and pursue legal avenues; his son also appealed to Vladimir Putin, invoking their Orthodox Christian faith. The article says government representatives ultimately made the release possible, and cites a Reuters report that US Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby had urged some NATO countries to tone down rhetoric about Russia.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.