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A new Russia Ukraine three-day ceasefire was announced directly by Donald Trump as both nations agreed to pause kinetic activity and complete a major prisoner exchange.
The truce arrives amid a chaotic swirl of accusations. Both countries had already declared separate ceasefires to cover Victory Day celebrations marking the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany. Each side immediately accused the other of shattering those earlier truces within hours.
Trump announced the deal personally. He said the Ceasefire includes a suspension of all kinetic activity plus a swap of one thousand prisoners from each country. He thanked Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky for agreeing to his request. Ukraine’s president confirmed participation shortly after. Russian state media followed suit stating Russia had accepted the proposal.
The path to this pause was messy. Putin had announced a ceasefire for May 8th and 9th to protect Victory Day events. Kyiv had pushed for an indefinite truce starting May 6th. Neither side honored the other’s initial declaration. Moscow’s mayor reported around twenty drones were downed near the city in just the first two hours.
What the Russia Ukraine three-day ceasefire means on the ground
The Russian defence ministry warned Ukraine not to even think about attacking the Victory Day parade in Red Square. It threatened a retaliatory massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv if Moscow is targeted. Foreign diplomats have been warned to leave the Ukrainian capital ahead of May 9th.
Security is exceptionally tight in Russia. For the first time in nearly two decades there will be no military hardware rolling through the parade. Only soldiers will march. Residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg have been warned that mobile internet access will be limited for security reasons. The guest list reflects the isolation. Only the leaders of Belarus Malaysia and Laos along with a few other dignitaries will attend.
On the battlefield the accusations flew fast on Friday. Russia said Ukraine was striking civilian targets in the Kursk and Belgorod border regions. Moscow claimed its armed forces provided a mirror response to the violations. Ukrainian strikes were also reported on industrial sites in Perm Yaroslavl and Rostov regions as well as the Chechen capital Grozny. Thirteen airports in southern Russia suspended operations following a drone attack.
Zelensky posted on Telegram that Ukraine endured more than one hundred and forty attacks on its positions and over eight hundred and fifty drone strikes in the early hours of the truce. He stated plainly that Ukraine would act in kind. Emergency services are also battling a massive wildfire in the Chornobyl exclusion zone where strong winds dry weather and landmines complicate the fight. The blaze already covers about eleven square kilometers but authorities say radiation levels remain normal.
European Council President António Costa said he sees potential for the EU to negotiate with Russia over ending the war and claimed Zelensky backs the effort. He argued that Europe cannot change geography and must talk with Russia about the future security architecture. A Kremlin spokesman responded that Russia is ready for dialogue but will not initiate such contacts itself.
A top US official visiting Italy said America is still prepared to mediate but does not want to waste time if progress stalls. Zelensky said he expects US envoys to arrive in Kyiv within weeks. The temporary pause offers a sliver of calm but the deep distrust between the two sides is glaring.
