In a surprising diplomatic twist, the presidents of Russia and Ukraine announced a three-day ceasefire and a prisoner exchange set for May 9 through May 11, aligning with the Victory Day celebrations in Russia. This agreement comes after an unexpected intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump, who first revealed the arrangement via his social media platform, Truth Social. The temporary cessation of hostilities will facilitate the exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side, offering a humanitarian pause in the ongoing conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared the development on X, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing the return of captured troops over potential military engagements with Moscow during their ceremonial Victory Day parade. “Red Square is less important to us than the lives of Ukrainian prisoners who can be brought home,” Zelensky stated, crediting the U.S.-mediated negotiations for the breakthrough. He expressed gratitude toward Trump and his team for their pivotal role in securing the agreement.
In Moscow, the Kremlin also confirmed Russia’s participation in the ceasefire through a statement by foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov. Both nations are now preparing for the agreed prisoner exchange, with Zelensky urging the United States to oversee Russia’s compliance with the deal. The agreement seeks to address the humanitarian crisis amid the conflict while providing a temporary reprieve from the violence.
The ceasefire announcement follows a perplexing week of competing unilateral ceasefire declarations by both Russia and Ukraine. Russia initially set a ceasefire for May 8-10 to incorporate its annual Victory Day, while Ukraine proposed its own for May 5-6. This led to mutual accusations of ceasefire violations, escalating tensions between the two countries. The Russian Defense Ministry had even issued a warning of a potential major strike on Kyiv should Ukrainian actions disrupt the Victory Day events.