U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a three-day ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine, expressing hope that the temporary truce could pave the way for a broader peace deal to end the prolonged conflict.
The ceasefire is expected to begin on Saturday and run through May 11.
Trump disclosed the development in a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, noting that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had agreed to the arrangement.
“I am pleased to announce that there will be a THREE DAY CEASEFIRE (May 9th, 10th, and 11th) in the War between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said.
“This request was made directly by me, and I very much appreciate its agreement by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” he
“Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War, ” he added.
The proposed truce is also expected to include an exchange of 1,000 prisoners by both sides.
Prior to Trump’s announcement, Russia had earlier declared a temporary unilateral ceasefire to coincide with its May 9 Victory Day celebrations marking the Soviet Union’s role in World War II.
Ukraine had earlier stated that it proposed its own temporary ceasefire, but accused Moscow of ignoring the initiative.
Despite the ceasefire announcement, fighting continued in several areas on Friday, with both countries exchanging drone and missile attacks.
Ukrainian authorities accused Russia of maintaining assault operations despite publicly declaring a truce.
“Despite the declared ceasefire, the enemy has not reduced the intensity of assault operations,” Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine was responding accordingly.
Russia, on its part, claimed it intercepted more than 400 Ukrainian drones, including about 100 allegedly targeting Moscow.
A reported Ukrainian drone strike in the Russian-controlled section of the Kherson Region allegedly killed a 41-year-old man and his teenage daughter, according to Moscow-backed officials.
Ukraine also claimed responsibility for an attack on an oil depot in the Yaroslavl Region, northeast of Moscow.
The conflict also disrupted air travel in southern Russia, where authorities temporarily shut down 13 airports after a drone reportedly struck an air navigation facility in Rostov-on-Don.
Putin later convened a security council meeting over the incident, describing the strike as “an act of a terrorist nature” capable of threatening civil aviation.
Ukraine has repeatedly dismissed Russia’s temporary ceasefire proposals as political manoeuvres aimed at securing uninterrupted Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.
President Zelensky had earlier warned allies of Russia against attending the annual military parade held on May 9 in Moscow’s Red Square.
The Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022 following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, has claimed hundreds of thousands of military and civilian lives and remains Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
Efforts to broker a lasting peace agreement have so far recorded limited progress amid continuing hostilities and rising geopolitical tensions.
