Three-day truce, prisoner swap

KYIV, Ukraine (AFP) — Russia and Ukraine confirmed on Friday a United States-brokered truce and a large prisoner swap over 9 to 11 May, when Moscow celebrates its World War II victory, after trading drone strikes and declaring unilateral ceasefires in the run-up.

US President Donald Trump first announced a three-day truce between the warring sides, saying he hoped it could lead to a long-term deal to end the war.

Russia had previously announced a two-day unilateral ceasefire to mark its World War II victory holiday on 9 May. Ukraine earlier stated that it too had offered a truce, but it had been ignored by Moscow.

The truce would also include a mutual swap of 1,000 prisoners each, said Trump, who has struggled to end the four-year conflict he once pledged to solve within a day of taking office last year.

“I am pleased to announce that there will be a THREE DAY CEASEFIRE (9, 10 and 11 May) in the War between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.

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

“Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War.”

Ukrainian President Zelensky said a ceasefire “must be established,” ordering the army not to target Moscow’s Red Square on 9 May, the venue for its annual victory parade, held this year without military hardware.

A senior source in the Ukrainian presidency, who wished to remain anonymous, told Agence France-Presse that Kyiv “exchanged the absence of drones in Moscow tomorrow for 1,000 of POWs.”

Ukraine will act “mirror-like” during the truce, the source added.

In Moscow, the Kremlin had welcomed Trump’s proposal, saying it was “important” that it coincided with Russia’s “sacred” holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.

Russia and Ukraine had traded attacks earlier on Friday before Trump’s announcement.