US President Donald Trump has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to release US citizen Steven Habbar, who was convicted in Russia in 2024 on charges of mercenary activities.
Modern.az reports that Russian media disseminated this information.
The US leader noted that he discussed Habbar's situation in detail with his Russian counterpart.
"I asked for Habbar's release. Let's see what happens," Trump said.
The White House chief emphasized that he wants the American to return home.
Who is Steven Habbar?
In September 2024, a trial was held in the Moscow City Court on the case of a US citizen accused of mercenary activities. Steven Habbar, from Michigan, is a retiree.
The American went to Ukraine in 2014 and stayed there. A woman he was in a relationship with lived in that country, but she later left him.
72-year-old Steven Habbar, who fought on the Ukrainian side against the Russian Armed Forces, pleaded guilty. He stated that he was a mercenary and agreed with the charges brought against him.
Habbar received a salary of $1000 per month for participating in combat operations as part of the Ukrainian army.
According to the investigation, he signed a contract with the territorial defense battalion of the city of Izium in February 2022. After military training, he was given weapons and military uniform. In April of the same year, Habbar was captured by the Russian side.
In October 2024, the Moscow City Court sentenced him to 6 years and 10 months in prison. The foreign citizen is serving his sentence in a general regime correctional facility. The period Habbar was held in custody from April 2, 2022, was included in the sentence.
