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

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

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.

A decade ago, Donetsk was the metropolis of Ukraine's east. Now, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly has it squarely in his sights.

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.

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.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed on Tuesday not to give eastern Ukrainian land to Russia, saying that abandoning the Donbas region would open the door for Russian President Vladimir Putin to “start a third war” in Ukraine.

At the Alaska summit, Putin reportedly demanded Ukraine cede Donetsk and Luhansk in return for freezing the frontline, but Kyiv and European allies remain opposed to territorial concessions

Why is Donbas so critical to Russia and Ukraine? This mineral-rich, industrial region has become the epicenter of one of the most devastating conflicts in modern history. From Soviet-era tensions to Putin’s 2014-backed separatist uprising,