President Donald Trump has announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, slated to run from Saturday, May 9th to Monday, May 11th. Trump, who made the announcement via social media, also stated that the agreement includes a prisoner swap involving 1,000 individuals from each country. He described the ceasefire as a potential "beginning of the end" of the conflict.
The announcement coincides with Russia's Victory Day on Saturday, May 9th, a holiday commemorating the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Trump noted that both the Russian and Ukrainian leaders have agreed to his proposed cessation of hostilities. However, reports indicate no immediate comment from either Moscow or Kyiv following Trump's declaration.
The purported ceasefire includes a "suspension of all kinetic activity." This development follows previous reports of a collapsed unilateral ceasefire proposed by Russia for Victory Day, which saw both sides trading accusations of violations just hours after its announcement.
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Trump's statement was posted on social media platforms on Friday. The timeframe of the ceasefire, Saturday through Monday, directly overlaps with the Victory Day commemorations in Russia. Trump has suggested that this pause in fighting could offer a path toward a broader resolution.
