The Industrial Heartland In Ukraine That Is Key To Peace Deal With Putin

The worst fears of Europe and Ukraine could become a reality this evening. Surrendering Ukrainian land to Russia had never been acceptable to President Volodymyr Zelensky, but that's exactly the offer he will reportedly receive when he meets US President Donald Trump, which could bring an end to the three-year-long war in Ukraine.

The Russian-speaking Donbas in Ukraine has long been coveted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and according to him, it has been the "root cause" of their invasion. Seizing control of this eastern industrial heartland of Ukraine - comprising Donetsk and Lugansk - tops his territorial demand.

Trump backs this demand, reports The New York Times, as the US President remains in a hurry to flaunt to the world his peace-making skills. Zelensky, however, has been firm. He had warned that Putin could base his future invasions on this region, but asserted he would "never leave" Donbas.

Donbas has seen the deadliest clashes between Ukrainian and Russian troops since the war began in 2022. While Russian troops and their secret allies have managed to reportedly conquer a considerable chunk of the region, the remaining nearly 7,000 sq km is yet to be taken despite Putin's decade-long efforts to control Ukraine.

Russian forces now control Lugansk entirely, and most of Donetsk. This includes their regional capitals as well. But Moscow now eyes Zaporizhzhia and Kherson too, as the main hubs in these areas remain under Ukrainian control.

Read: How Europe Plans To Avoid Another Showdown As Trump Meets Zelensky Tomorrow

If a ceasefire is not achieved, continued battle for Donbas could result in heavy losses. Reports suggest tens of thousands of lives are at stake here, waiting for decisive action that brings peace in this region - and eventually to both the nations.

The last attempt at achieving a ceasefire was made during a Friday summit when Trump and Putin flew down to Alaska and spoke for about three hours. While both leaders called it a "positive" meeting, no solution emerged from it to end the Ukraine war.

Trump later spoke to European officials - conversations that hinted at Putin demanding the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas. In return, the Russian President offered to freeze the war along the current frontlines and assure no further offensive, reported NYT, citing two unnamed European officials.

The US President wants his Ukrainian counterpart to accept this offer. He recently told Fox News that Russia is a "big power" while Ukraine isn't, indicating that it may not be a good idea to keep pushing Moscow back. "We cannot do that," Zelensky told reporters last week.

Read: How Trump's Ukraine Peace Deal Demands Leave Zelensky With Only Bad Options

However, his meeting with Trump this evening is likely to confront him with the same offer, which many fear could lead to another showdown. To avoid a face-off and to ensure Europe is not left out in future discussions, some European leaders - believed to be acting as diplomatic buffers - are also expected to accompany Zelensky to the White House.

During their last meeting in February, Trump had lashed out at Zelensky, accusing the Ukrainian leader of being "disrespectful". But the two leaders have spoken since, especially after the Alaska summit, and all eyes now remain on their evening meeting.