Donald Trump has announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. The ceasefire comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares a grand celebration in Moscow this weekend to mark the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. 'I am pleased to announce that there will be a three day ceasefire (May 9th, 10th, and 11th) in the War between Russia and Ukraine,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'The Celebration in Russia is for Victory Day but, likewise, in Ukraine, because they were also a big part and factor of World War II.'

The President stated that the ceasefire will halt all military operations and include a prisoner exchange involving 1,000 detainees from each country. Russia reportedly holds upwards of 7,000 Ukrainian soldiers as prisoners of war, while Ukraine has captured 4,000 Russians. 'This request was made directly by me, and I very much appreciate its agreement by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,' Trump added. Trump said he hopes the ceasefire will help bring an eventual end to a 'very long, deadly' war, adding, 'Talks are continuing on ending this major conflict, the biggest since World War II, and we are getting closer and closer every day.'

Last week, Trump told reporters that he had raised the possibility of a ceasefire in a private 90-minute phone call with Putin, but nothing was confirmed at the time. Chinese President Xi Jinping is currently visiting Russia to participate in celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in WW2. Several other national leaders are expected at Putin's celebration, including the presidents of Brazil and Serbia, and the prime minister of Slovakia. Putin had initially proposed a three day ceasefire with Ukraine earlier this week but was met with a cold response from Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would only accept the ceasefire as long as it would be 30 days in length. Zelensky then went further by claiming that Ukraine could not guarantee the safety of any foreign dignitaries who came to Moscow for the traditional May 9 victory parade. However, following Trump's announcement, it appears Ukraine has yielded to Russia's demands in the wake of the President's intervention. The human toll has made this the bloodiest European conflict since World War II, with more than 1.2 million Russian casualties and over 600,000 Ukrainians killed or wounded. During the 2024 campaign, Trump vowed to end the Russian-Ukraine war within 24 hours of entering office.