Ukraine’s Donbas region, consisting of Donetsk and Luhansk, is at the heart of Moscow’s goals. An industrial powerhouse in the Soviet era, it also has rich farmland, important rivers and a coastline on the Sea of Azov.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejects Russian President Vladimir Putin's demands to cede the Donbas region, citing sovereignty concerns and the area's economic and strategic importance.

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants any settlement to end the war to include giving Russia full control of the Donbas

"Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this month.

Donald Trump is reportedly planning to urge Ukraine to surrender the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as part of negotiations over an end to the war.

Moscow launched 40 missiles and nearly 600 drones across Ukraine overnight, forcing Poland to scramble jets as the western city of Lviv was hit. Follow the latest.

As Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy heads to Washington, all eyes turn to Donbas, a contested region in Ukraine. Why? Vladimir Putin has demanded this area in exchange for peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Following the August 15, 2025 summit in Alaska where Vladimir Putin met with U.S. President Donald Trump, various briefings have highlighted a series of tough demands that Moscow is pushing forward. Here’s what’s on offer,

The Donbas has long been the most Russian-leaning region of Ukraine, home to a significant Russian-speaking population. Even a decade ago, many residents expressed strong resentment toward the distant government in Kyiv.