The Challenges Facing Ukraine in Relinquishing the Donbas Region

Following an announcement that the U.S. President would meet with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, discussions emerged around the possibility of resolving the conflict through territorial exchanges between Russia and Ukraine.

While it remains uncertain whether Russia is willing to relinquish any occupied areas in such a deal, European officials report that Moscow expects Ukraine to withdraw unilaterally from the entire eastern Donbas region.

Ukrainian authorities firmly reject the notion of ceding land based on an uncertain promise of peace, emphasizing principles of sovereignty alongside significant military, humanitarian, and political reasons that make surrendering Donbas untenable.

The Donbas has been a critical battleground, its industrial centers serving as a protective barrier for Ukraine—one fiercely defended by thousands who have sacrificed their lives.

This region's legacy includes some of the most intense fighting of World War II and continues to be a focal point of intense clashes today.

In recent years, cities like Bakhmut and Avdiivka have withstood relentless assaults, compelling Russian forces to expend significant resources for minimal territorial gains. These remain the only major cities captured by Russian forces since the conflict began.

The remaining Ukrainian-held cities in Donbas are linked by a single north-south roadway, forming a defensive line vital to preventing further Russian advances across Ukraine.

According to Serhii Kuzan, head of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center, surrendering any of these urban areas would cause the collapse of this crucial defensive front.

Relinquishing control would also mean handing over key fortifications Ukraine invested heavily in, along with essential railway networks and resource-rich lands abundant in minerals and coal.

Beyond the heavily industrialized zones, the vast open landscapes serve as a gateway to Ukraine’s heartland, making the region strategically invaluable.

Yielding Donbas without resistance would enable Russian forces to regroup and intensify their westward offensives, warns a Washington-based defense research institute.

A Russian takeover could trigger a humanitarian crisis, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee or endure harsh conditions under occupation.

Extensive reports from media, human rights groups, and U.N. investigators document systematic abuses in Russian-controlled areas, including arbitrary arrests, torture, maltreatment, and enforced disappearances.

Currently, over 200,000 civilians live in the Ukrainian-controlled part of Donetsk, with Russian forces occupying approximately two-thirds of the region, encompassing 847 of 1,298 settlements.

Kateryna Arisoy, a native of Bakhmut who runs a charity aiding those escaping conflict zones, describes life under occupation as bleak, marked by severe repression against dissenters.

She explains, “There is no real life in the occupied territories—people are merely surviving.”

Although neither U.S. nor Russian officials have formally proposed specific territorial exchanges, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s swift dismissal of the idea reflects a broader reality often overlooked internationally.

Historian Yaroslav Hrytsak highlights that Ukrainian identity is deeply rooted in the principle of self-determination—'nothing about us without us'—a tradition tracing back to the Cossack era.

He adds, “Attempting to resolve Ukrainian matters without Ukrainian involvement undermines the core of Ukrainian identity, a conviction especially strong in today’s context.”

This conviction underpins Zelensky’s popular support despite declining approval ratings, as he insists he lacks constitutional authority to negotiate away Ukrainian territory.

Surveys show that over 75% of Ukrainians oppose exchanging land for uncertain peace, with opposition even stronger within the military ranks, according to security experts.

Kuzan notes, “Military units and commanders we’ve engaged with since 2014 categorically reject any ultimatum demanding territorial concessions.”

While a comprehensive agreement is not ruled out, historian Hrytsak stresses that such a deal would require Russia’s withdrawal from all southern Ukraine as a minimum condition.

Yet, even that may fall short, as Ukrainians perceive these lands not simply as territory but as homes to millions.

Arisoy underscores this personal connection: “I once lived in a city now destroyed and occupied, so I do not see these regions as mere land—they are communities and lives.”