War in Europe

Ukraine, 2,000 prisoner exchange confirmed and truce from 9 to 11 May

Ukrainian president denounces over 140 Moscow attacks in the night at the front and 850 drone strikes

8 May 2026aggiornato ore 21:45

epa12939027 La gente balla durante il "Valzer della Vittoria" davanti al Museo della Vittoria (Museo della Grande Guerra Patriottica) a Mosca, in Russia, il 7 maggio 2026. Il 9 maggio 2026 la Russia celebrerà l'81° anniversario della vittoria dell'Unione Sovietica sulla Germania nazista e sui suoi alleati nella Seconda guerra mondiale. EPA/MAXIM SHIPENKOV EPA

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Key points

Russia-Ukraine war continues
Russia launched hundreds of attacks against Ukraine overnight. This was denounced on X by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky. "In the night the Russian army continued to strike Ukrainian positions. As of 7 a.m. more than 140 attacks on positions at the front," he wrote. "During the night the Russians carried out ten assaults, the largest number in the Slovyansk sector. They also launched more than 850 drone strikesof various types.

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Donald Trump announces on Truth that there will be three days of truce in the war in Ukraine, from 9 to 11 May, because inRussia we celebrate the victory of the Second World War. Trump claimed the direct role of the White House in the initiative. "This request was made directly by me, and I greatly appreciate its agreement by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky," he wrote.

"Hopefully, this is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly and hard-fought war," the US president added.

"Talks are continuing to put an end to this great conflict, the biggest since the Second World War, and we are getting closer every day."

"Red Square is less important to us than the lives of Ukrainian prisoners who can return home. That is why, today, as part of the negotiation process with the mediation of the American side, we have obtained Russia'sagreement for a 1,000-to-1,000 exchange of prisoners of war".

This was written on X by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who also confirmed the ceasefire for 9, 10, 11 May announced by Donald Trump: 'we expect the US to ensure that the agreements are respected by the Russian side'.

Zelensky ordered not to attack Red Square in Moscow during the parade to be held on 9 May.

"For humanitarian purposes outlined in the negotiations with the American side on 8 May 2026, I decide to authorise the holding of a parade in Moscow (Russian Federation) on 9 May 2026 (?!, ndr). For the duration of the parade (from 10 a.m. Kiev time), Red Square will be excluded from the plan to use Ukrainian weapons,' reads the decree published on the Ukrainian presidency website.

At 21:00 Italian time, Moscow also confirmed the agreement.

Germany France and Gb work on resumption of negotiations

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, said that Germany, France, and the UK intend to resume negotiations on Ukraine ''with a more significant role for Europe in the coming weeks and months,'' Wadephul said in an interview with the Welt am Sonntag .

Wadephul says that the three EU countries are ready to take 'greater responsibility' in negotiations with Ukraine and that he is already conducting discussions on this with the US and Ukraine.

The Russia-Ukraine war continues

Russia launched hundreds of attacks against Ukraine overnight. This was denounced on X by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky. "In the night the Russian army continued to strike Ukrainian positions. As of 7 a.m. more than 140 attacks on positions at the front," he wrote. "During the night the Russians carried out ten assaults, the largest number in the Slovyansk sector. They also launched more than 850 drone strikesof various types.

Over the course of last night, the Russian army continued to strike Ukrainian positions. As of 7 a.m., more than 140 strikes on frontline positions had been recorded. During the night, the Russians carried out 10 assaults, the largest number of them in the Slovyansk sector. They…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 8, 2026

"All this clearly shows that on the Russian side there has not been even a symbolic attempt at a ceasefire at the front," Zelenskyy continued, promising that "as we have been doing for the past 24 hours, Ukraine will respond today. We will defend our positions and people's lives. Russia must end its war, and everyone will really see when the movement towards peace begins. Glory to Ukraine!" he concluded.

Ucraina, 1.525° giorno di guerra
Photogallery11 foto

The Kremlin responded by saying that it had shot down 264 Ukrainian drones during the night. "Between midnight and 7 a.m. Moscow time, air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 264 Ukrainian drones," Moscow's Defence Ministry announced, pointing out that the operations covered more than a dozen regions, including the capital.