Washington : US President Donald Trump has announced that Russia and Ukraine have reportedly agreed to his proposal for a brief three-day ceasefire, along with a major prisoner swap, calling it a possible breakthrough that could mark “the start of the end” of the ongoing conflict.
Trump said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov both gave their approval to the arrangement. He added that he personally communicated the proposal to both sides and received swift and positive responses.
Speaking before departing the White House for a scheduled engagement in Virginia, Trump said the temporary pause in hostilities would ensure a short period in which “no lives will be lost,” describing the development as encouraging.
Earlier, he had posted on social media that the ceasefire would begin on Saturday and last until Monday, aligning with Russia’s Victory Day events on May 9, which commemorate the end of World War II in Europe. The plan also includes the exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side.
Trump noted that both Ukraine and Russia had significant roles during the Second World War.
Previous limited ceasefire efforts between Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly collapsed, with each side blaming the other for violations, including a short unilateral truce earlier announced by Ukraine.
The US president said he had been in direct contact with both leaderships in an effort to move the deal forward and expressed cautious optimism that it could open the door to wider peace negotiations, although he acknowledged uncertainty about the war’s future.
In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that securing the return of Ukrainian prisoners remains a top priority in any negotiation process. In a message shared on Telegram, he stated that the lives of captured soldiers are more important than symbolic wartime events, adding that Ukraine places greater value on “bringing its people home.”
Zelenskyy also issued instructions allowing Russia to hold its Victory Day celebrations without fear of strikes during the ceasefire period, a move seen as largely symbolic.
Russian officials strongly rejected Zelenskyy’s comments, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissing them as “ridiculous” and insisting that Russia does not require approval from any side to conduct its national commemorations.
Zelenskyy further said the ceasefire understanding was facilitated through US diplomatic involvement and thanked Washington for its role, while confirming preparations for a prisoner exchange were already underway.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio adopted a more cautious tone, stating that efforts to reach a lasting peace have so far made limited progress, though the US remains open to continued diplomatic engagement if conditions improve.
