MOSCOW, — May 10, 2026 : Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia immediately agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire and large-scale prisoner exchange tied to Victory Day commemorations, while accusing Ukraine of refusing to move forward with an earlier Russian exchange proposal.
Speaking after the May 9 Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Putin said Russia had sent a formal proposal to the Ukrainian side on May 5 that included a list of 500 captured Ukrainian servicemen currently held in Russia. According to Putin, Ukrainian officials initially responded by saying they needed additional time to review the list and suggested a smaller exchange involving around 200 prisoners instead of all 500.
Putin stated that communication later stalled and that Ukraine ultimately informed Russia it was “not ready” for the exchange. He claimed Kyiv “does not want to” proceed with the proposal. Russian officials also stated that Moscow has not yet received a finalized response from Ukraine regarding the earlier exchange initiative.
The remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a three-day ceasefire running from May 9 through May 11. The temporary suspension of hostilities was arranged to coincide with Russia’s Victory Day commemorations and to support a planned 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange between the two countries.
Putin described Trump’s proposal for an additional ceasefire period and prisoner swap as “justified” and said the initiative was based on humanitarian considerations and respect for the shared historical victory over Nazism during World War II. Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov confirmed that Russia accepted the U.S.-mediated initiative and linked it directly to the Victory Day observances.
Russia had already announced a unilateral ceasefire for May 8 and May 9 before the U.S.-brokered arrangement expanded the truce period to three days. Russian officials stated that Moscow viewed the broader agreement as acceptable and consistent with the humanitarian objectives connected to the commemorations.
Ukrainian officials rejected Putin’s claims that Kyiv was unwilling to conduct a prisoner exchange. A source within the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Russian president’s statements “do not correspond to reality” and emphasized that preparations for the exchange are continuing through U.S.-mediated contacts.
According to the Ukrainian side, the implementation of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange depends heavily on the United States acting as a guarantor of the agreement. Ukrainian officials stated that discussions regarding the operational and logistical arrangements for the transfer remain active.
Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine’s participation in the planned 1,000-for-1,000 exchange and supported the temporary ceasefire despite the timing coinciding with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations. He stated that “Red Square is less important to us than the lives of Ukrainian prisoners who can be returned home” and confirmed that Ukrainian authorities had been instructed to establish the required “silence regime” during the three-day truce period.
The ceasefire officially entered into effect on May 9 alongside Russia’s annual Victory Day events in Moscow. Both Russia and Ukraine have publicly confirmed support for the broader U.S.-brokered framework involving the temporary halt in hostilities and the large-scale prisoner exchange, although Russian officials maintain that they are still awaiting a finalized Ukrainian proposal connected to the earlier May 5 exchange offer.
No additional details regarding the exact timing or implementation schedule of the prisoner exchange had been released by either side as of May 10.
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