Could a ceasefire in Ukraine make things worse instead of better? That’s the question haunting soldiers and civilians caught in the crossfire of this brutal conflict. While many long for peace, there’s a deep distrust of Russia’s intentions—and fears that a pause in fighting might only give Moscow time to regroup.

On Ukraine’s eastern front, the situation is grim. Commanders like Volodymyr Sablyn, who’s seen his share of broken truces, warn that a ceasefire now could lead to even greater attacks later. “The enemy will restore itself, regroup, and hit us again,” he says. His unit faces relentless Russian assaults, with drones buzzing overhead and artillery fire shaking the ground. The price of caution, he argues, is steep.

Civilians, too, are losing hope. Larissa, a 72-year-old resident of Lyman, has stayed in her war-torn hometown despite daily shelling. “We’ve been hit 19 times today,” she says, her voice trembling. She refuses to leave, clinging to memories of a life that once was. But her faith in Kyiv is fading, and she sees Russia’s leader as the only one who can end the bloodshed.

The war has dragged on for years, and the toll is immense. In Slovyansk, Inesa, 60, sits alone in the central square, recalling a time when life felt possible. “Now there is no future,” she says. “I just want it to stop. Stop the bombing.”

As talks of a ceasefire swirl, the stakes couldn’t be higher. For many in eastern Ukraine, peace feels like a distant dream—and no one’s sure if it’s even achievable. “It’s all politics,” says Dima, a bus driver. “Nothing depends on us.”

For now, the fighting continues, and hope is in short supply.