still don t know if the visit will go ahead. it was announced by president zelensky in that press conference below the streets of kyiv, in a metro station last night, but the white house hasn t had anything to say about it today. it would be highly unusual to announce something like this before it happens, so today in kyiv people are watching and waiting to see if that visit goes ahead. visit goes ahead. behind you, it s not ust a visit goes ahead. behind you, it s notjust a normal visit goes ahead. behind you, it s notjust a normal day, visit goes ahead. behind you, it s notjust a normal day, is - visit goes ahead. behind you, it s notjust a normal day, is it? - visit goes ahead. behind you, it s notjust a normal day, is it? it s l notjust a normal day, is it? it s 0rthodox easter. is it being marked? it is and, you know, i brought you here to saint michael s cathedral in the centre of kyiv, because these golden domes are the ones you would normally recognise from the background
ukraine s church has long fought for autonomy from russia. the religious battle is now hardened by the military one to throw off the shackles of moscow. their faith and their fighting are bringing together ukrainians, renewing their spirit of national identity, standing together amidst this country s intense trauma. easter is a moment of rebirth and for ukraine this year it is one of strengthening their pride and independence. in russia, too, church and war are intertwined. the president, backed by the patriarch, has called it a holy battle against an immoral west . from the other side, the iconography seems clear president zelensky as ukraine s saviour. translation: our souls are full of fierce hatred for the invaders l and all that they have done. our hearts are full of fierce fury. don t let fury destroy
behind them. on saturday s attack shows russia s attack was random, part of the calculation to wear ukrainians down to keep them in constant fear. last night while the russian president was at a service for 0rthodox easter, president zelensky called for a direct meeting with them to bring this war to an end. peace talks have not taken place for several weeks and vladimir putin seems in no mood to repent for his aggressive information. with no sign of the west easing its support for ukraine, might he be ready to resurrect those feedstocks? piece talks. 0ur correspondent, joe inwood, is in kyiv. no confirmation of the us of that visit by anthony blinken and lloyd austin but obviously presidents lansky has said it is happening because it is something that will be very significant as a visit when it
do the same thing. translation: i would like to tell our fighters to stay strong. - i understand that these are really hard times now, everyone has families and all the fighters are worried about their homes, wives, sons and brothers. translation: i m feeling good, and i m in a fighting mood. - let the ones who flee from our country worry. the ones who didn t take up arms. everyone, even politicians, showed who they are. our people showed who they are. i m in a fighting mood and we will fight the enemy. it shows you that 0rthodox easter is
we see the pictures and hear conversations about what happened between them and president zelensky and he said the call for more weapons will be on the agenda but in terms of the meeting that is very little detail we know. it is 0rthodox easter. usually a time for celebration and families to get together. so different for so many families there in ukraine this time round. it is very different in those cities in the east and south, places like mariupol where they have been under constant bombardment easter celebrations will not happen in any meaningful way at all but in kyiv we see sparks of life and this is the beautiful st andrews church and there are people out here in the sunshine, a really unusual sight, the streets of kyiv have been so quiet for so long. many people fled the city at the start of the