The President of the United States has declared a three-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, set to take place from May 9 to May 11.
This ceasefire will involve an end to all hostilities and a prisoner exchange of 1,000 soldiers from each side. The U.S. President emphasized that this request was made directly by him and expressed gratitude for its acceptance by both President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky.
He expressed hope that this could signify “the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and difficult war.”
“Negotiations to resolve this significant conflict, the largest since World War II, are ongoing, and we are getting closer to a resolution every day,” the President added.
Ukraine has confirmed its agreement to the ceasefire and the prisoner exchange facilitated by the U.S.
President Zelensky noted that there have been numerous communications regarding the future dynamics in Moscow concerning Ukraine’s long-range sanctions. He remarked that the principle of reciprocity in their actions is well-known and has been demonstrated to the Russian side.
Russia has also expressed support for the U.S. initiative. Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian leader, stated that Russia is on board with the plan to conduct a prisoner exchange with Kyiv by May 11, in the format of “1,000 for 1,000.”
He mentioned that the agreements regarding the ceasefire and the exchange were reached during telephone discussions with the U.S. administration.
It is important to note that Russia previously announced a temporary ceasefire regime from 00:00 on May 8 to May 10, during which Russian forces were expected to halt combat operations along the entire front line.
The U.S. has brokered a three-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, effective from May 9 to May 11, which includes a significant prisoner exchange. Both nations have confirmed their participation, aiming to pave the way for further negotiations to resolve the ongoing conflict.