In a significant diplomatic advancement, both Russia and Ukraine confirmed on Friday their agreement to a three-day ceasefire and a prisoner exchange, following an unexpected intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump. Announced initially by Trump on Truth Social, the ceasefire will occur from May 9 to May 11, aligning with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations. This agreement includes the exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged this development through a post on X, emphasizing that the humanitarian need to return captured soldiers took precedence over military actions against Moscow during its annual Victory Day parade. Zelensky articulated that “Red Square is less important to us than the lives of Ukrainian prisoners who can be brought home,” expressing gratitude to Trump and his team for facilitating the negotiations.
In Moscow, the Kremlin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov confirmed Russia’s commitment to the ceasefire. President Zelensky has tasked his team with preparing for the prisoner exchange promptly and has urged the United States to ensure that Russia adheres to the agreement.
This agreement follows a week marked by confusion over competing ceasefire announcements from the two nations. Russia had initially declared a unilateral ceasefire from May 8-10, coinciding with Victory Day. In response, Ukraine proposed its own ceasefire for May 5-6. Both countries accused each other of breaching these ceasefires, with the Russian Defense Ministry threatening a significant strike on Kyiv if Ukrainian actions on Saturday interfered with the Victory Day festivities.