A fragile three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine entered into force on Sunday, May 10, following President Donald Trump's announcement that both governments had agreed to his request for a temporary halt in hostilities. Ukrainian and Russian officials confirmed that frontline units had received orders to cease offensive operations, though both sides reserved the right to respond to violations.

A prisoner exchange convoy was observed moving near the Zaporizhzhia region, where international monitors from the International Committee of the Red Cross were present to oversee the handover of an estimated 150 detainees on each side. The swap, described by U.S. officials as a confidence-building measure tied to the ceasefire, represents the largest such exchange since the war's escalation in 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking from Kyiv, cautiously welcomed the pause but warned that Ukraine's military would remain at full readiness. 'We do not trust words, we trust actions,' Zelensky said in a video address, adding that any Russian advance during the ceasefire period would be met with immediate response. Moscow's foreign ministry issued a statement saying Russia had agreed to the ceasefire 'in good faith' at Washington's request.

Trump, posting on Truth Social, called the ceasefire 'a major victory for common sense and diplomacy,' and said his envoy Steve Witkoff would travel to the region in the coming days to lay groundwork for broader peace negotiations. European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, issued a joint statement urging both parties to extend the ceasefire beyond the initial 72-hour window.

Analysts cautioned that previous ceasefires in the conflict have collapsed within hours, and satellite imagery reviewed by open-source researchers showed continued Russian logistical movements near Kherson. The coming 48 hours are considered the critical test of whether the Trump-brokered pause can hold and whether it represents a genuine pathway toward negotiations or a tactical repositioning by Moscow.