Trump says Russia, Ukraine agree to 3-day ceasefire and prisoner swap

US President Donald Trump on Friday announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a three-day ceasefire and a large-scale prisoner exchange, describing the development as a possible “beginning of the end” of the war that has continued since February 2022.

The announcement was later confirmed separately by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov.

Trump said the ceasefire would remain in effect from 9 May to 11 May and would include a suspension of “all kinetic activity” as well as an exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side.

“I asked and President Putin agreed. President Zelenskyy agreed — both readily,” Trump told reporters before departing the White House for an event in Virginia. “We have a little period of time where they’re not going to be killing people. That’s very good.”

In a social media post earlier in the day, Trump said the temporary truce coincided with Russia’s Victory Day commemorations marking the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

“The Celebration in Russia is for Victory Day but, likewise, in Ukraine, because they were also a big part and factor of World War II,” Trump wrote.

Ceasefire follows earlier failed truce attempts

The latest agreement comes after previous unilateral ceasefire announcements by both Moscow and Kyiv collapsed within hours, with each side accusing the other of violating the truce.

Russia had earlier announced a limited ceasefire around Victory Day events, though fighting reportedly continued along parts of the front line. Ukraine had also attempted a unilateral pause in hostilities earlier in the week, which similarly failed to hold.

Trump said the new arrangement was negotiated directly with both leaders and expressed hope that it could create momentum towards a broader peace settlement.

“Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought war,” he said.

The US president added that diplomatic discussions aimed at ending the conflict were continuing and claimed negotiators were “getting closer and closer every day”.

Prisoner exchange central to Ukraine’s position

Zelenskyy said Kyiv’s decision to participate in the talks was strongly influenced by the prospect of securing the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war, an issue that has remained a major priority for Ukraine throughout the conflict.

“Red Square matters less to us than the lives of Ukrainian prisoners of war who can be brought home,” Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram, referring to Moscow’s Victory Day parade venue.

The Ukrainian president later signed a decree formally “authorising” Russia to hold the Red Square military parade without Ukrainian strikes during the ceasefire period. The move appeared aimed at highlighting Kyiv’s ability to target Russian territory while linking restraint to the temporary truce agreement.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the decree as a “silly joke”.

“We don’t need anyone’s permission to be proud of our Victory Day,” Peskov told reporters.

Mixed signals from Washington

Despite Trump’s optimism, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a more cautious tone earlier on Friday, saying negotiations had not yet produced a meaningful breakthrough.

“While we’re prepared to play whatever role we can to bring it to a peaceful diplomatic resolution, unfortunately right now, those efforts have stagnated,” Rubio said during a visit to Rome and the Vatican.

The Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022 after Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, triggering Europe’s largest conflict since World War II and leading to extensive Western sanctions against Russia and large-scale military aid for Kyiv.