Donald Trump has said he hopes a newly announced ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine will be extended beyond its planned three-day period, calling for a longer pause in the conflict.
Speaking on Friday in an interview with NewsNation, Trump said he would like to see “a big extension” of the ceasefire between the two countries. His comments came after reports that Russia and Ukraine agreed to temporarily stop fighting over the weekend.
The ceasefire is set to begin on Saturday and will last for three days. It coincides with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, which mark the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
As part of the agreement, both sides also agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each. Trump said the arrangement was reached after he made the request and both leaders accepted it.
He stated that the pause in fighting would save lives, even if only for a short period.
“We have a little period of time where they’re not going to be killing people,” Trump said during the interview. He added that the prisoner exchange was also an important humanitarian step.
The announcement follows ongoing conflict between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, which has continued since the war began in 2022.
Earlier this week, both Russia and Ukraine made separate declarations about temporary ceasefires. However, each side accused the other of violating those agreements almost immediately.
Reports also indicated that Russia warned it could carry out strikes if Ukraine attempted to disrupt its Victory Day events in Moscow.
This year’s celebration is expected to be smaller than usual, with no display of tanks, missiles, or heavy military equipment during the parade in Red Square. The change marks a rare departure from previous celebrations, according to international reporting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the ceasefire agreement in a message posted on the social platform X.
He said Ukraine supported the pause mainly because of the planned prisoner exchange, which he described as an important humanitarian priority.
Zelensky stated that returning Ukrainian prisoners from Russian custody was more important than symbolic events in Moscow. He also said Ukraine was working to ensure the safe return of its citizens and had instructed officials to prepare for the exchange process.
The prisoner swap is expected to be one of the largest between the two countries since the conflict began more than two years ago.
According to the United Nations Human Rights Office, more than 3,000 prisoners of war and civilian detainees were released by both sides between May and August 2025.
That exchange was described as the biggest coordinated release since the start of the war, highlighting ongoing efforts to address humanitarian concerns despite continued fighting.
The latest ceasefire agreement comes amid renewed international attention on the conflict and growing pressure for diplomatic solutions.
Trump said he plans to continue discussions with both Putin and Zelensky to encourage further steps toward peace.
He did not confirm whether additional negotiations are scheduled but said he remains open to further engagement with both leaders.
The short-term ceasefire and prisoner exchange are being seen as limited but notable developments in a long-running war that has caused widespread destruction and displacement.
While the current agreement only covers a brief period, Trump’s comments have raised questions about whether a longer truce could be negotiated in the future if both sides agree to extend the pause in fighting.
