President Donald Trump said Friday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a temporary three-day ceasefire over the weekend, paired with a large prisoner exchange. The pause in fighting comes as both sides continue to navigate ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the war, which has stretched on for years.
Posting on Truth Social, Donald Trump said the ceasefire will run from May 9–11, aligning with Russia’s Victory Day commemorations. He said the agreement includes a suspension of hostilities and a large-scale prisoner exchange between the two countries.
Donald Trump wrote: “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. This Ceasefire will include a suspension of all kinetic activity, and also a prison swap of 1,000 prisoners from each Country,” Trump wrote.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Ukraine’s participation in the arrangement, emphasizing the prisoner exchange as a key factor. He wrote on X, “Red Square is less important to us than the lives of Ukrainian prisoners who can be brought home.” Zelensky also thanked U.S. leadership for diplomatic involvement and urged accountability in implementing the deal, adding, “I thank the President of the United States and his team for their productive diplomatic involvement. We expect the United States to ensure that the Russian side fulfills these agreements,” he said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry earlier announced a brief ceasefire tied to Victory Day events on May 9 and 10, though it also warned it could respond militarily if Ukraine disrupted the celebrations.
In previous remarks, Donald Trump said he had discussed a ceasefire directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I said I’d much rather have you be involved with ending the war with Ukraine,” Trump said. “To me that would be more important.”
The temporary truce, if upheld, would represent one of the most structured pauses in fighting since the war began, though uncertainty remains over enforcement and long-term prospects. Trump suggested broader negotiations are still underway, saying talks are “getting closer and closer every day” as efforts continue to reach a lasting settlement to the conflict.
