TRANSCRIPT
Liturgy sung in a Ukrainian cathedral.
Worshippers sombre, reflective.
On the eve of the third anniversary of Moscow's invasion, they're hoping desperately that an agreement can be reached between world leaders – to end the war.
Parishioner Hanna Nikolenko says it's time to rebuild Ukraine.
"I really hope that people will stop dying and we can breathe a sigh of relief for the first time in these three years, take a break, reflect on everything that has happened, start rebuilding our country and rebuilding some things. I really hope that the bloodshed will end and I really put all my hopes in God that it will happen this year."
The fate of Ukraine is largely in the hands of US President Donald Trump who's been leading peace talks with Russia.
But, this week, he's engaged in a new war of his own – one of words with his Ukrainian counterpart.
It's culminated in Mr Trump calling Volodymyr Zelenskyy a dictator, in reference to Ukraine's delayed elections since the invasion and subsequent imposition of martial law.
Mr Zelenskyy says he has no reason to be offended – since it's something he's not.
"I would not call these words addressed to me by US President Donald Trump compliments, to put it mildly, I understand that, yes, but why be offended? Let the one who is a dictator be offended by the word 'dictator.' I perceive it as... well, what are you going to do?"
And, in a major concession amid the barbs, he says he's willing to resign from his post in exchange for peace in Ukraine or NATO membership.
NATO is the political and military alliance of countries from Europe and North America where members commit to protecting each other from any threat.
"If to achieve peace you really need me to give up my post - I'm ready. I can trade it for NATO, if there are such conditions. But instantly, I don't want to talk about it for a long time. I am focused on Ukraine's security today, not in 20 years, I am not going to be in power for decades."
Mr Zelenskyy made that offer during the Ukraine: Year 2025 forum, which comes at a sensitive moment for Kyiv.
President Trump's administration is pushing for a deal that says Ukraine should give the US $500 billion in critical raw materials as payback for wartime aid received from the previous Joe Biden administration.
That includes graphite, uranium, titanium and lithium.
It's a proposal Mr Zelenskyy earlier declined to accept because it lacked specific security guarantees.
He now says a grant is not a loan.
"I have a logical question to which no one can give me a response. When the United States of America sell weapons to Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, do they earn 100 percent of profit? It's alright, I simply want a dialogue with President Trump. I think I am right to want a dialogue. I don't sign a document that ten generations of Ukrainians will pay for."
At home, Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko says his country is still united in support of President Zelenskyy.
He says Ukraine is determined to keep fighting on, but the approach of the Ukrainian leader shows a genuine desire for lasting peace.
"President Zelensky made it very clear, if we can achieve peace, if Ukraine can become a NATO member state, he's ready to step down. And I think that's very important to keep this in mind, the sequence of what needs to happen because President Zelenskyy demonstrating the leadership because he wants long-term peace, not only the ceasefire which can be temporarily. A truce can welcome more aggression. He wants peace long term beyond four years for the next decades."
Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations Co-Chair Kateryna Argyrou says on the third anniversary of the war, her community is yearning for justice.
"So what I want to tell you from a Ukrainian community perspective is that we have suffered a lot over the past three years and there is no other community that wants peace more than Ukraine and the Ukrainian community. But we would like a just peace with over 140,000 war crimes that have been committed and registered in Ukraine. We would like justice for that. We would like the war criminal that is President Putin to be held accountable."
On the other side of this conflict, a ceremony in Russia for the soldiers who've fought.
It marks the Defender of the Fatherland Day – a commemoration of the Red Army's foundation.
There, President Vladimir Putin presented Russian soldiers with state awards for their service.
"Participants of the special military operation are true to the glorious precepts of our fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers. Showing courage, they, you, stand guard over Russia, bravely fight for truth and justice, for peace, the future of our people."
As the anniversary dawns, attacks are intensifying.
Russia has launched 267 drones against Ukraine killing at least three people.
As EU and world leaders prepare to meet in Kyiv to show their support for Ukraine, Mr Zelenskyy says he hopes a turning point is near.
