Kurt Volker

“Russia has been playing this game for years, and of course they will take more hostages. Sanctions relief is just another sort of payoff, like getting intelligence officers or Viktor Bout released,”

Kurt Volker · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-22

Volker warned that the circumstances of Hubbard's release encourage Moscow to take more Americans captive for political leverage.

“Trump wanted to do all that anyway -- to claim he is doing something about high diesel prices in the U.S.,”

Kurt Volker · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-22

Volker said Trump could use Hubbard's release to justify granting sanctions relief to Russia, which Trump says will lower costs for Americans.

“The release of Hubbard now gives him the opportunity to say this was for a higher cause.”

Kurt Volker · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-22

Volker said Trump could use Hubbard's release to justify granting sanctions relief to Russia, which Trump says will lower costs for Americans.