A surprising diplomatic effort by U.S. President Donald Trump has led to a confirmed three-day ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Russia and Ukraine, set to take effect from May 9 through May 11. The ceasefire is strategically timed to coincide with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, a significant event in the country. As part of this agreement, both nations will exchange 1,000 prisoners each, marking a temporary halt in the ongoing conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the humanitarian importance of the deal in a message on X, emphasizing that the lives of Ukrainian prisoners were prioritized over potential military actions during Russia’s Victory Day parade. Zelensky credited the U.S.-facilitated negotiations for this breakthrough and expressed gratitude toward Trump and his team for their role in the agreement.
In Moscow, the Kremlin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov confirmed Russia’s compliance with the ceasefire, according to reports. Zelensky has directed his administration to prepare for the upcoming prisoner exchange and urged the United States to oversee Russia’s adherence to the agreement.
This development concludes a week marked by conflicting ceasefire declarations from both nations. Russia had unilaterally declared a ceasefire from May 8-10, while Ukraine proposed its own for May 5-6. Accusations of ceasefire violations were traded between the two sides throughout the week. The Russian Defense Ministry issued a warning that it would launch a significant strike on Kyiv’s center if Ukrainian attacks threatened the Victory Day festivities.