• Trump announces a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine from May 9 to May 11.
• The truce includes a mutual exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each country.
• Trump expressed hope this will lead to an end to the ongoing war.
• Despite the ceasefire, both sides continued military operations on the eve of the announced truce.
• The ceasefire coincides with Russia's Victory Day celebrations.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on social media, set to commence from May 9 to May 11. The announcement included plans for a mutual exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side. Trump expressed optimism, stating, "Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War," emphasizing that this effort aims to facilitate a potential long-term resolution to the conflict, according to Reuters, CBS News, Al Jazeera, India Times, and Le Monde.

The ceasefire coincides with Russia's Victory Day celebrations, with Trump noting the significance of this event for both nations. "This request was made directly by me," he stated, thanking both President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for their agreement to the truce. However, previous separate ceasefires had been declared by both nations, leading to confusion over their historical effectiveness, according to Reuters, and CBS News.

Despite the announcement of the ceasefire, fighting continued on the eve of the truce, with both sides accusing one another of maintaining aggressive operations. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy noted, "Despite the declared ceasefire, the enemy has not reduced the intensity of assault operations," highlighting ongoing military actions, according to India Times, and Le Monde.

This ceasefire announcement occurs amid a backdrop of escalating tensions and a protracted conflict stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Diplomatic efforts to resolve this enduring war have made little forward momentum in recent months, underscoring the complexity of achieving lasting peace solutions, according to Al Jazeera, and India Times.