Vladimir Putin ordered the release of an American man from a Russian jail as he met Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg on Wednesday for fresh talks on ending the war in Ukraine, amid increasingly close relations between Moscow and Washington.

Trump had previously asked Putin to free Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher who had spent more than four years in Russian jails on charges of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine .

His release appeared to be Moscow’s latest calculated move to bring Trump further into line with Putin’s position on Ukraine , while offering the US president a diplomatic victory before the midterm elections.

Hubbard was released unilaterally by Russia , rather than as part of a prisoner exchange as has often been the case with previous releases of Americans held in the country.

Writing on social media after the release was announced, Trump said it followed a request he had made “directly” to Putin last week.

He wrote on Truth Social: “The United States, out…