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U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that the leaders of Russia and Ukraine have agreed to his request for a three-day ceasefire and an exchange of prisoners, adding that such a halt to hostilities could be the “beginning of the end” of the long war between them.
Russia and Ukraine have both confirmed the temporary ceasefire.
Trump announced on social media that the ceasefire would run Saturday through Monday. Saturday is Victory Day in Russia, a holiday that commemorates its victory over Nazi Germany 81 years ago in the Second World War.
“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,” he said.
Suspension of activity, prisoner exchange
The Republican president said the ceasefire includes a suspension of all kinetic activity and the exchange of 1,000 prisoners by each country.
“This request was made directly by me, and I very much appreciate its agreement by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” Trump said. “Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War.”
Trump added that talks continue over ending the war “and we are getting closer and closer every day.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed a three-day ceasefire had been arranged with Russia as part of U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the more than four-year-old war.
Zelenskyy, writing on Telegram, also said each of the two sides would be exchanging 1,000 prisoners of war.
“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,” Zelenskyy wrote.
Russia has also agreed to the three-day ceasefire and prisoner exchange, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Friday.
Zelenskyy also issued a decree on Friday “allowing” Russia’s Victory Day military parade to proceed and ensuring no weapons are aimed at Red Square.
“I hereby decree: to permit the holding of a parade in the city of Moscow (Russian Federation) on May 9, 2026,” the decree read. It added “the territorial sector of Red Square shall be excluded” from the planned deployment of Ukrainian weaponry.
Rescuers worked to put out a fire at a Ukrainian kindergarten building after a Russian drone attack in the northeastern city of Sumy on Wednesday. No children were present, but a female security guard was killed in the attack, which residents told Reuters was carried out in two waves.
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