Donbas question – The most ‘Russian’ part of Ukraine between Putin, Zelensky and Trump

As negotiations to end the war in Ukraine gather momentum between Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and Volodymyr Zelensky, the focus has once again returned to the Donbas — a region whose history, identity and resources have made it central to Russia’s ambitions and Ukraine’s struggle for sovereignty.

Why is the Donbas so important to Russia?

The Donbas — comprising the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk — was once the industrial heartland of the Soviet Union, known for its coal mines, steel mills and fertile farmland. For the Kremlin, however, its significance extends beyond economics.

The Donbas has historically been the most “Russian” part of Ukraine, with a sizeable Russian-speaking population and lingering cultural ties to Moscow. It was here, in 2014, that Russian President Vladimir Putin began destabilising Ukraine after annexing Crimea, supporting armed separatists who swiftly seized control of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Since then, the Donbas region has become the epicentre of Russia’s claim to defend “compatriots abroad” and secure what Putin sees as the cornerstone of a “greater Russia”.

How has the war reshaped the Donbas?

For nearly eight years before the full-scale invasion of 2022, fighting raged between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists. More than 14,000 people were killed, according to Kyiv’s figures, while at least 1.5 million fled the region. Today, over three million are estimated to live under Russian occupation.

Moscow has entrenched its presence, issuing hundreds of thousands of Russian passports in separatist-controlled areas. Following sham referenda in 2022, the Kremlin illegally annexed Donetsk and Luhansk, along with Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, despite only partial control of the territories.

For Vladimir Putin, these annexations represent a point of no return. Unlike previous military withdrawals, giving up “Russian land” formally absorbed into the Federation would undermine his central narrative of restoring historic Russia.

What makes Donbas militarily crucial?

Despite Moscow’s advances, Ukraine still controls a strategic “fortress belt” of industrial cities and transport hubs — including Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka — that block further Russian penetration westward.

For President Volodymyr Zelensky, surrendering these areas would not only dishonour the sacrifices of Ukrainian soldiers but also expose central Ukraine to fresh offensives. About three-quarters of Ukrainians oppose ceding any territory, according to surveys, making territorial concessions politically toxic in Kyiv.

How does Crimea fit into this Russia-Ukraine conflict?

The Donbas cannot be separated from Crimea, another flashpoint in Russia–Ukraine tensions. Moscow seized the peninsula in 2014 after pro-European protests toppled President Viktor Yanukovych. A disputed referendum was staged, claiming overwhelming support for joining Russia, though international governments dismissed it as fabricated.

Vladimir Putin has consistently framed Crimea’s annexation as correcting a “historical wrong” dating back to its 1954 transfer to Ukraine. Yet research suggests that many Crimeans identified not as pro-Russian nationalists but as distinctly “Crimean” or Ukrainian.

Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly argued that the West’s failure to resist the 2014 annexation emboldened Russia's Putin to expand the war. “Crimea should not have been given up then,” he said recently, warning that peace must be “lasting, not temporary”.

What lies ahead for the Donbas?

Analysts believe Russia may need years to consolidate its occupation of Donetsk and Luhansk. Ukraine, meanwhile, faces the dual challenge of defending its remaining positions and persuading allies not to pressure it into territorial concessions.

For Europe and the West, the stakes extend far beyond Ukraine’s borders. To allow Moscow to keep land seized by force would, in their view, dismantle the very principle of a rules-based international order.

As in 2025, the Donbas remains the crucible of Putin’s ambitions — and Zelensky’s most difficult test in his effort to defend not just territory, but the idea of a sovereign Ukraine.