The hopes of the wife of the pilot, Ukraine, fighter and fears before the ceasefire

Maria’s life has been reduced to waiting for the next phone call from her husband – she never knows whether it might be the last.

Evan, a 31-year-old Ukrainian fighter pilot, began defending the sky from the early hours of Russia’s large-scale invasion in February 2022, and he has now transferred more than 200 risky missions in the old Mig-29 warplane.

The Squadron Leader lost several comrades in the war. Some were close friends. Others were from the rapine for each other’s children. Its current air base in Western Ukraine cannot be revealed for security reasons.

But with the US -led efforts to negotiate the ceasefire – and new talks with Russia and Ukraine planned on Monday – things changed.

“If any ceasefire comes, we will feel safely,” said Maria.

Throughout Ukraine, more and more people talk openly about war fatigue. They claim to end the most brutal fighting in Europe since World War II, and for the fixed guarantees of Western protection to ensure Russia’s inability to attack again.

At the same time, Maria fears that any deal will include accepting the loss of four Ukrainian regions in the southeast Russia was partially seized by itIn addition to the Crimea, Russia included it in 2014. “They will remain under Russian occupation.”

She asks: “What (did) many men, our heroes, sacrifice their lives for them if Ukraine cannot struggle for them, and they are forced to make concessions?”

When Maria and Ivan met, the possibility of a widespread war in Ukraine seemed impossible.

Maria was an English language teacher at a local children’s club in western Ukraine attended by the daughter of an Ivan comrades. The comrade offered Evan’s position with Maria, who described him as a “very nice teacher”.

Initially, Ivan felt pressed from this arrangement – but he finally agreed to come.

He was happy because he did. Soon they started seeing each other.

On one of their first dates, Ivan Maria warned that he had a dangerous job. She said she will not be a problem. Ivan was brave, care and protection, and Maria was in love.

Soon he had to go in a long -term spread away from home. They have lost touches for a year, and their relationship may end.

But then he returned a bouquet of giant flowers and promised that he did not want to waste its time. Within a year, the two were married and soon they expected their first child.

Russia has only launching its invasion on a large scale, as Maria understood what he meant about the harsh facts in his work.

Their daughter Yaroslava was only three months old at the time. Ivan missed her early features: her help in taking her first steps, and seeing her first teeth comes and relaxes during her first illness.

“When Ivan is published away from the house, he sent him thousands of pictures of our daughter to help him feel that at least he is spending today with us,” said Maria.

In one of the nearby tasks, Maria put her daughter in the stroller and rushed to a checkpoint where she could run out for five minutes.

I brought him local food. Talk. And he found that every minute together she deserved the months of waiting.

Before Yaroslava could speak, she used her little hands to fly that her father was flying across the sky.

“Our daughter knows her father is a pilot,” she says. “When she had a birthday and her father ate a birthday cake on a video call, we made it clear to her that he could not be with us because he was defending Ukraine from the Russians.”

The family now has a professional photo taken every six months. “It is very difficult for me to say, but I must be completely honest. We never know whether that (will be) our calls or our final meeting,” says Maria, on the verge of tears.

She feels that she should be ready for “everything, including the worst scenario.”

During the first year of the war, she used to hear regularly about the losses between friends. “You are connected to their wives and you cannot find the words you say. And you are afraid to find yourself one day.”

Ukrainians are looking for concrete guarantees of protection by the United States and Europe, and increasing the width of Western fighter planes, to deter Russian aggression.

The country has received a number of F-16s F-16s from the United States, but the country’s air force still largely depends on old warplanes in the Soviet-barely match for the most advanced Russian aircraft.

Maria hopes with caution in the ceasefire. She says that the matter may “freeze” the conflict at best, but it finds it difficult to rely on it because it does not trust Russia.

Vladimir Putin He wants to end Western military aid to Kyiv and intelligence participation with the UkrainiansIn addition to stopping packing in Ukraine.

Many experts say his demands are just an excuse to continue the war he launched, despite the heavy Russian losses.

There are also fears that Donald Trump-who publicly mentioned that ending the war is one of his most important priorities-can be a deal behind the scenes with Russia that would force Ukraine to accept painful concessions.

Even after the ceasefire, Maria will continue to wait for rare calls and meetings, as the Ukrainian Air Force will have to stay on a long alert.

Although there may be peace in Ukraine, she asks if her husband will be in peace again. Maria says that Ivan, who was severely affected by the fighting line, has a “national spirit” and will continue to serve even after the war.

Maria feels that it is important for him that he does not feel that the losses were easy, and are still optimistic that the Russian parts controlled by Jacon, Zaburisia, Donetsk and Luhansk are once returned.

Maria’s priority now is to reassure her husband and provide optimism to him. She dreams of a future where her young family can finally start rebuilding their lives in their own home, in their country.

“My husband must know that we are always waiting for him.”