Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire begins Saturday after Donald Trump announced a three-day truce and planned prisoner exchange

US President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia beginning on Saturday, expressing hope that the temporary truce could pave the way for a long-term agreement to end the war.

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Speaking on his Truth Social platform on Friday, Donald Trump said the ceasefire would run from May 9 to May 11 and would include a mutual exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side.

The US president said the agreement followed direct discussions involving Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“I am pleased to announce that there will be a THREE DAY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine,” Donald Trump wrote.

“This request was made directly by me, and I very much appreciate its agreement by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.”

The announcement marked a potentially significant diplomatic breakthrough after months of stalled negotiations and relentless fighting in Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.

The fragile Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire, however, emerged amid continuing attacks from both sides before the truce officially began.

Ukrainian officials had earlier accused Moscow of ignoring Kyiv’s own proposal for a temporary halt in fighting, while Russian authorities warned of severe retaliation if Ukrainian forces disrupted the country’s Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian troops had continued assault operations despite the announced pause, adding that Ukrainian forces were responding “symmetrically”.

Russia’s defence authorities claimed they intercepted more than 400 Ukrainian drones since midnight, including about 100 targeting Moscow.

A Ukrainian drone strike reportedly killed a man and his teenage daughter in the Russian-occupied Kherson region, according to Moscow-backed officials.

Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed responsibility for a powerful strike on an oil depot in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, northeast of Moscow.

The conflict also disrupted air travel in southern Russia after a drone attack targeted an air navigation centre in Rostov-on-Don, forcing temporary airport closures.

President Vladimir Putin later convened a security council meeting and described the attack as “an act of a terrorist nature” capable of endangering civil aviation.

The ceasefire coincides with Russia’s annual May 9 Victory Day parade, a highly symbolic national event commemorating the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier dismissed Moscow’s proposed truce as a strategic move designed to shield the parade from attack rather than a genuine peace effort.

Despite the tensions, the latest development has raised cautious optimism that diplomatic momentum could finally begin to emerge after more than four years of devastating warfare.

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Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians have reportedly been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.