Russia, Ukraine agree on three-day ceasefire

Trump announces May 9-11 break in war, prisoner swap

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON:

Russia and Ukraine confirmed on Friday that they had agreed to a three-day ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump that will run from May 9 to May 11.

Trump's announcement on Truth Social also said each country, locked in more than four years of conflict, would be exchanging 1,000 prisoners of war.

Both Kyiv and Moscow have accused the other of violating ceasefires declared separately this week as Russia readies to hold a Victory Day parade on May 9 that marks the 1945 Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.

"This Ceasefire will include a suspension of all kinetic activity, and also a (prisoner) swap of 1,000 prisoners from each Country," Trump wrote.

"This request was made directly by me, and I very much appreciate its agreement by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War."

Trump added that talks were continuing to move towards an end of the war "and we are getting closer and closer every day".

Zelenskiy, writing on Telegram, confirmed the ceasefire had been arranged as part of U.S. negotiating efforts and that humanitarian issues remained a key priority.

"That is why today, within the framework of the negotiation process mediated by the American side, we received Russia's agreement to conduct a prisoner of war exchange in the format of 1,000 for 1,000," Zelenskiy wrote.

Zelenskiy also issued a tongue-in-cheek decree "allowing" Russia's May 9 military parade to proceed and saying Ukrainian weapons would not target Red Square. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, speaking to reporters on Putin's behalf, said Russia had also agreed to Trump's initiative.

"An agreement on this matter

was reached during our telephone discussions with the US administration," he said.

Earlier, Russia and Ukraine had accused each other of violating ceasefires that each had separately declared.

The two sides are still pummelling each other with missiles, drones and artillery, with no end to the war in sight. Peace talks are stalled, with Ukraine rejecting Putin's demand that it surrender territory it has successfully defended since 2022.

Putin had unilaterally declared a two-day ceasefire on Friday and Saturday to cover the Victory Day commemorations - Russia's most revered national holiday.

Kyiv responded that a ceasefire

just for the holiday was inappropriate and called instead for an indefinite truce to begin two days earlier, which Moscow ignored.

The Russian defence ministry said 264 Ukrainian drones had been downed in the early hours of Friday, while Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the capital had been targeted and officials said the Urals region of Perm had been attacked with drones.