A three-day ceasefire agreement and a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine were confirmed on Friday, following a surprising diplomatic move by U.S. President Donald Trump. The temporary halt to hostilities is set to take place from May 9 to May 11, aligning with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations. As part of this accord, each nation will release 1,000 prisoners.
The announcement was initially made by Trump on Truth Social, which was later corroborated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on X. Zelensky emphasized the importance of humanitarian efforts over military actions, particularly in recovering captured troops, rather than focusing on potential military opportunities during Russia’s Victory Day parade. He expressed gratitude towards Trump and his team for mediating the negotiations that led to this agreement.
In response, Russia confirmed its participation in the ceasefire through Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov. Zelensky has directed his team to prepare for the prisoner exchange and urged the U.S. to ensure that Russia honors its commitments under the agreement.
This development concludes a week marked by conflicting ceasefire proposals from the two nations. Russia had declared a unilateral ceasefire from May 8 to May 10, while Ukraine suggested a separate ceasefire from May 5 to May 6. Throughout the week, both countries accused each other of breaching these proposed ceasefires. The Russian Defense Ministry had even threatened a significant strike on Kyiv should Ukrainian actions interfere with the Victory Day festivities.