Adedokun Waliyu 
US President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia starting Saturday, saying he hoped it could lead to a long-term agreement to end the war.
Russia had earlier announced a two-day unilateral ceasefire to mark its May 9 World War II Victory Day celebration. Ukraine had previously said it also proposed a truce, but claimed Moscow ignored the offer.
The ceasefire would also include a mutual exchange of 1,000 prisoners each, according to Trump, who has struggled to end the four-year conflict despite previously promising to resolve it quickly after taking office.
“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 his Truth Social platform.
“This request was made directly by me, and I very much appreciate its agreement by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” he added.
“Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War.”
Fighting Continues
Russia and Ukraine continued exchanging attacks before Trump’s announcement.
Ukraine had not publicly agreed to follow Moscow’s earlier call to halt strikes, accusing Putin of seeking a pause mainly to safely conduct Saturday’s annual military parade on Red Square.
Kyiv said Moscow ignored a Ukrainian proposal earlier in the week for a temporary ceasefire, which President Volodymyr Zelensky described as a test of the Kremlin’s willingness to reduce hostilities.
Russia warned Ukraine against disrupting the Victory Day parade and reportedly advised foreign diplomats to leave Kyiv ahead of the celebrations.
Residents in Kyiv appeared calm despite the warnings.
“Nothing new will happen,” said Vasyl Kobzar, a 40-year-old bank employee. “I’m worried, but it’s become routine, unfortunately.”
Ukrainian officials said no additional security measures had been introduced at the time.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 67 drones overnight, the lowest number recorded in nearly a month.
“Despite the declared ceasefire, the enemy has not reduced the intensity of assault operations,” Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine was responding accordingly.
Russia claimed it had intercepted more than 400 Ukrainian drones, including around 100 aimed at Moscow.
A Ukrainian drone attack reportedly killed a 41-year-old man and his 15-year-old daughter in the Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Kherson region, according to local Moscow-backed authorities.
Zelensky also praised a Ukrainian strike on an oil depot in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, northeast of Moscow.
Russia temporarily shut down 13 airports in the south after a Ukrainian drone reportedly struck an air navigation centre in Rostov-on-Don. Authorities later said flights resumed partially.
Putin later convened a security council meeting, describing the strike as “an act of a terrorist nature” that threatened civil aviation.
No Tanks
Ukraine dismissed Russia’s earlier temporary ceasefire announcement as a propaganda move aimed at protecting the Victory Day parade.
Hours before the Russian truce began, Zelensky advised Moscow’s allies against attending the event.
Since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022, hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides and tens of thousands of civilians — mostly Ukrainians — have reportedly been killed.
Putin has made the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany a major symbol of his leadership, often linking it to the justification for the invasion of Ukraine.
However, military hardware will reportedly be absent from this year’s parade for the first time in nearly two decades, and only a small number of foreign guests are expected to attend.
Efforts to negotiate an end to Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II have shown little progress and have also been overshadowed by tensions involving Iran.
AFP
