Ukraine, Russia confirm three-day ceasefire, Trump says it could be extended

Ukraine, Russia confirm three-day ceasefire, Trump says it 

could be extended

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON - Russia and Ukraine confirmed

on May 8 that they have agreed to a three-day ceasefire

brokered by the United States, which will run from May 9 to May

 11, and President Donald Trump said he hopes it will be extended.

Trump's announcement of the temporary ceasefire on Truth

Social earlier in the day also said that each country involved

in the more than four-year conflict would exchange 1,000

prisoners of war.

"I would like to see a major extension of that. It could happen," 

Trump told reporters on Friday evening.

Both Kiev and Moscow have accused each other of violating

the ceasefire, which was announced separately this week,

as Russia prepares to hold a May 9 Victory Day parade,

which commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi 

Germany in 1945.

Trump has become increasingly frustrated with the lack of

progress in ending the Ukraine-Russia war, and the ceasefire

brings some good news for the US president, whose war with

Israel against Iran has dented his popularity at home.

Efforts to end the Iran war, now in its third month, appeared to

have stalled as renewed fighting in the Gulf region escalated.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that the Ukraine-Russia 

ceasefire would see a halt to all "military activity" and an

exchange of 1,000 prisoners from both countries.

"This request was made directly by me, and I am very grateful

that President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky 

have agreed to it. Hopefully, this is the beginning of the end of

a long, deadly and difficult war," he said.

Trump added that talks to end the war were moving forward

"and we are getting closer every day".

Zelensky, writing in Telegram, confirmed that the ceasefire was 

arranged as part of the US negotiation efforts and that

humanitarian issues remain a top priority.

"That is why today, within the framework of the negotiation

process mediated by the US side, we have received Russia's

consent to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war for 1,000," Zelensky wrote.

Zelensky also issued a humorous decree "allowing" Russia's

May 9 military parade to go ahead and stating that Ukrainian 

weapons would not target Red Square.

Russia has warned that any attempt by Ukraine to disrupt the

Red Square parade would result in a massive missile strike on Kiev.

According to Zelensky, the ceasefire followed substantive talks 

between US and Ukrainian officials in Miami, and US envoys

are scheduled to visit Kiev in the coming months.

Speaking to reporters on Putin's behalf, Kremlin aide

Yuri Ushakov said Russia had also agreed to Trump's initiative.

"An agreement on this was reached during our telephone talks

with the US administration," he said.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defense systems had 

intercepted Ukrainian drones approaching the capital for a seven-

hour period ending at 8 p.m. local time (1700 GMT).

Moscow has issued such a statement since Trump announced

the ceasefire.

Russia and Ukraine have previously accused each other of

violating the ceasefire, which was declared separately.