The ceasefire announcement comes after both sides had already floated separate pauses in fighting on different days. Zelenskyy announced a ceasefire for May 5 and 6 earlier this week, while Russia had suggested its own halt for May 8 and 9 last week.
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President Trump announced Friday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a three-day ceasefire covering May 9, 10 and 11, coinciding with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations this weekend. The temporary halt in fighting will also include a prisoner swap of 1,000 people from each country.
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, saying he personally requested the ceasefire and thanking both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for agreeing to it.
What Trump Said
In his Truth Social post, Trump laid out the full scope of what was agreed.
“This Ceasefire will include a suspension of all kinetic activity, and also a prison swap of 1,000 prisoners from each Country,” he wrote. “This request was made directly by me, and I very much appreciate its agreement by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.”
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 8, 2026
Trump framed the temporary truce as a potential turning point in a war that has now stretched beyond four years.
“Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War,” he wrote. “Talks are continuing on ending this Major Conflict, the biggest since World War II, and we are getting closer and closer every day.”
A Complicated Timeline
The ceasefire announcement comes after both sides had already floated separate pauses in fighting on different days. Zelenskyy announced a ceasefire for May 5 and 6 earlier this week, while Russia had suggested its own halt for May 8 and 9 last week. Trump’s announcement appears to consolidate those separate proposals into a single three-day window, though neither Russia nor Ukraine had officially confirmed the arrangement at the time of his post.
