Russia, Ukraine agree to 3-day ceasefire, prisoner exchange

MOSCOW/KIEV - Russia and Ukraine on Friday agreed to a three-day ceasefire and a swap of 1,000 prisoners.

"At the instruction of Russian President Vladimir Putin, I confirm that U.S. President Donald Trump's initiative regarding the ceasefire and an exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine is acceptable to the Russian side," Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.

"We received Russia's agreement to conduct a prisoner exchange in the format of 1,000 for 1,000. A ceasefire regime must also be established on May 9, 10, and 11," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.

He added that he had instructed the Ukrainian team to promptly prepare everything necessary for the exchange.

Separately, Zelensky signed a decree that excluded the Red Square area in Moscow from the "plan for the use of Ukrainian weapons" during the Victory Day parade on May 9 "for humanitarian purposes," according to a document published on the presidential website.

Trump said earlier Friday on Truth Social that the truce between Russia and Ukraine "will include a suspension of all kinetic activity, and also a prison swap of 1,000 prisoners from each country."

On Thursday, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that all Russian military groupings in the conflict zone would completely halt combat operations during the Victory Day celebrations from midnight on May 8 to May 10.