Trump brokers 3-day Russia-Ukraine ceasefire amid push for wider peace deal

Russia and Ukraine confirmed Friday they have agreed to a three-day ceasefire announced by Donald Trump, raising hopes for a possible diplomatic breakthrough in the war that has dragged on for more than four years.

The truce will run from May 9 to May 11 and includes a full halt to military operations as well as a major prisoner swap involving 1,000 captives from each side.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump said the agreement followed direct outreach from his administration to both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

“This request was made directly by me, and I very much appreciate its agreement by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy,” Trump wrote, calling it a possible first step toward ending the conflict.

The US president later said he hopes the ceasefire can be extended beyond the initial three days.

Zelenskiy confirmed the arrangement in a Telegram post, saying the deal emerged through US-mediated negotiations and emphasizing that humanitarian concerns remained central to the talks.

He said Moscow had agreed to a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange and, in a symbolic gesture, jokingly issued a decree “allowing” Russia’s May 9 Victory Day parade to proceed without Ukrainian strikes on Red Square.

The Kremlin also confirmed its participation.

Yuri Ushakov said the agreement was reached during telephone discussions with US officials.

The announcement came despite fresh accusations from both sides earlier this week of violating separate unilateral ceasefires.

Putin had previously announced a shorter two-day truce linked to Russia’s Victory Day commemorations, but Kyiv rejected it as inadequate and instead pushed for an indefinite ceasefire.

Hostilities nevertheless continued overnight.

Russia said it intercepted 264 Ukrainian drones and reported attacks on Moscow and the Perm region.

Ukraine said it struck an oil refinery in Perm for a second straight day and targeted another facility in Yaroslavl.

Zelenskiy also accused Russian forces of continuing strikes on Ukrainian positions despite the diplomatic progress.

Moscow has warned that any attempt to disrupt Victory Day celebrations would trigger a large-scale missile strike on Kyiv.

Victory Day remains Russia’s most significant national observance, marking the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.

This year’s Moscow parade, typically featuring tanks and strategic missile systems, is expected to proceed under heightened security and reportedly without heavy military hardware on display.

The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has entered its fifth year.

Russia currently controls nearly 19.4 percent of Ukrainian territory, though analysts say its battlefield advances have slowed markedly in recent months.