Senate Dems want details on U.S. efforts to free Americans imprisoned in Russia

A group of Senate Democrats this week pressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio for details on American efforts to secure the release of U.S. citizens imprisoned in Russia and urged him to ramp up those efforts.

The letter follows President Donald Trump announcing that he had secured the release of former Marine Robert Gilman after speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

At present, six Americans are still in Russian custody, according to The Hill. The Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, pressed Rubio and the Trump administration to keep efforts to secure their release separate from efforts to end the Ukraine war.

“We are deeply concerned that tying the fate of these Americans and their families to broader issues in the U.S.-Russia relationship and deferring their designation as wrongful detainees merely prolongs their hardship,” they wrote.

Fifteen other Senate Democrats joined Schumer in writing to Rubio.

Trump, for his part, repeatedly campaigned by claiming he would end the Ukraine War within 24 hours of assuming office, a deadline that has long since passed.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.