Donbas Dilemma: Donetsk and Luhansk at the Center of Kyiv–Moscow–Washington Talks

At a trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi, Kyiv, Moscow and Washington converge on one point: the Donbas is the core territorial issue. Zelensky insists Ukraine will not cede land, while Russia signals it will not accept a long‑term settlement without territorial concessions. The Donbas, comprising Donetsk and Luhansk, has been the battlefield since 2014, with Russia controlling most of Luhansk and about two‑thirds of Donetsk; losing the region would leave Ukraine more vulnerable to future aggression. A floated US option suggests a potential ceasefire compromise involving a “free economic zone” in Ukrainian-held Donbas in exchange for security guarantees, but details are unclear. Human rights abuses have been documented in Russian-occupied areas.