Anastasiia Fedchenko, 36, grieves inside St Michael's Cathedral in Kyiv, her cries of despair reverberating off its opulent walls. She sits, heavily pregnant with her first child, a baby girl, her hands resting on both sides of her stomach. Beside her lies her husband, Andriy Kusmenko, in uniform, in an open coffin. The marine commander was killed in action in eastern Ukraine on January 4th, forever 33. While Andriy fought in the war, Anastasiia reported on it as a journalist. As his comrades pass by, dropping red roses into his coffin, Anastasiia leans in to give her "love of her life" a final kiss. Outside the cathedral, she honors her "most handsome husband" who sacrificed his life for his country. "My daughter will never see her father," she tells the BBC, "but she will know him as a soldier, an officer, who devoted himself to securing Ukraine's future for her and the generations to come." In the face of Donald Trump's claims and upcoming return to the White House, calling for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, dissent arises among those like Sgt Dmytro, known as "Smile," who fought alongside Andriy. "Let those in power decide, but I doubt the fallen would wish for Ukraine's leadership to negotiate at a table," he remarks. "After the funeral, we return to duty, fighting for every fallen Ukrainian." As Ukraine endures its third winter of war, thoughts of "victory" have faded. The realities of loss and territorial control have shifted public perception, with contemplation on the toll of the conflict leading to divergent opinions on pursuing peace talks. In a courtroom in Dnipro, Serhiy Hnezdilov, a 24-year-old soldier facing desertion charges, emphasizes the need for clarity in military service timelines and demobilization plans after years of frontline service. As Mykhailo, a seasoned drone commander, navigates nightly battles in Pokrovsk, he reflects on the toll of continuous combat and fleeting time off, underscoring the strain on soldiers enduring the conflict. The ongoing conflict and the advancing Russian forces cast doubts on the prospect of a lasting peace deal, leaving soldiers like David, a recent recruit, resigned to the prolonged conflict and uncertain future. While the frontline duels persist, the political dynamics, including the Trump presidency, add pressure for potential negotiations, highlighting the harsh reality that any deal is unlikely to favor Ukraine's terms.