President Donald Trump said Friday that Russia and Ukraine would temporarily halt fighting for three days beginning Saturday, though Ukraine publicly framed the proposed ceasefire more cautiously as part of negotiations over a large-scale prisoner exchange.
In separate statements, Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the proposal would include a ceasefire running through May 11 and the exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each country.
Trump described the ceasefire as the result of U.S. diplomacy, writing in a Truth Social post that the request “was made directly by me.” He then thanked both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy for agreeing to the pause in fighting.
Zelenskyy, however, framed the agreement around the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war, and he seemed guarded about Russia’s willingness to uphold the ceasefire.
“We expect the United States to ensure that the Russian side fulfills these agreements,” he said in a social media post after thanking Trump for his involvement.
Ukraine’s skepticism toward the Russian commitment comes amid concerns about Moscow’s alignment with Iran.
Last month, a Ukrainian intelligence assessment alleged Russia had shared satellite imagery and cyber support with Tehran to support attacks against the U.S. and other countries.
Trump in late April publicly raised the idea of a temporary ceasefire for marking the anniversary of the end of World War II after a phone call with Putin. At the Time, Trump told reporters that he had suggested “a little bit of a ceasefire,” saying that Putin “might do that.”
The proposed ceasefire coincides with Russia’s Victory Day, which commemorates the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany during World War II.
Eve Sampson is a reporter and former Army officer. She has covered conflict across the world, writing for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press.