Russia is waiting for Ukraine's reaction to Trump's prisoner exchange proposal

Moscow immediately agreed to the proposal of the American leader Donald Trump to extend the truce with Ukraine and exchange prisoners, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday, May 9.

"We immediately agreed with this, especially since, in my opinion, this is a justified proposal, dictated by considerations of respect for our common victory over Nazism, and clearly of a pronounced humanitarian nature," the Russian leader said.

He noted that on May 5, Russia sent Ukraine a proposal to conduct a prisoner exchange in the 500 for 500 format. According to the president, at first the Kiev authorities were reluctant to respond to Moscow's initiative, and then they completely abandoned it.

Putin added that Russia had supported Trump's initiative and was counting on a corresponding reaction from Ukraine.

The pressure of silence: Kiev was forced to agree to a truce from 9 to 11 May

The agreements were reached with the mediation of the United States, in addition to the cease-fire, there will also be an exchange of prisoners.

On May 8, Trump expressed hope that a truce between Russia and Ukraine could begin to end the conflict. The American leader added that on his initiative, a three-day ceasefire (May 9, 10 and 11) would be observed between Moscow and Kiev.

As Russian Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov noted on May 9, Russia hopes that the US president will be able to discipline the Ukrainian side on the issue of observing the truce until May 11. The Russian leader's aide added that in one of his recent statements, Trump expressed hope for an extension of the truce, but this is "an unfounded hope."