Trump announces three-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia
Ceasefire Announcement and Ongoing Peace Efforts
Details of the Three-Day Ceasefire
WASHINGTON, May 8 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday announced on social media that there would be a three-day ceasefire in the war between Russia and Ukraine from May 9 until May 11 to mark the end of World War Two for the Russians.
Trump had said after a phone call with Putin on April 29 that a temporary ceasefire was in the works. Putin announced a similar truce last year that lasted three days but was not agreed with Kyiv.
Terms of the Ceasefire
Trump said in a Truth Social post that the pause will include a suspension of all kinetic activity, and also a prison swap of 1,000 prisoners from each country.
Potential for Lasting Peace
"Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War," he said, adding that there was constant progress in talks to end the conflict.
Responses from Russia and Ukraine
Russian Ceasefire and Commemorations
Russia announced a ceasefire for May 8 to 9 to coincide with commemorations of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two and a military parade in Moscow's Red Square.
Ukraine's Proposal and Diplomatic Efforts
Ukraine announced its own proposal for an open-ended ceasefire that started at midnight on Tuesday (2100 GMT), urging Russia to reciprocate.
Officials said on Thursday that Ukraine's top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, had arrived in Miami for a series of meetings with U.S. representatives as peace talks on ending Russia's war in Ukraine have stalled in recent months.
Challenges in Peace Negotiations
Deadlock Over Donetsk Region
The U.S.-brokered talks are deadlocked over Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region. Moscow demands Kyiv pull troops back from parts of the region it has failed to capture in its four-year full-scale invasion. Ukraine says it will not cede land that it controls.
Ceasefire Violations
Moscow and Kyiv have both accused each other of violating ceasefires that each has separately declared.
(Reporting by Steve Holland, Susan Heavey and Costas Pitas; editing by Michelle Nichols)
