Overview
- Ukrainian negotiators, in talks reported Wednesday, floated naming a proposed demilitarized zone “Donnyland” to appeal to President Trump.
- The term has surfaced in discussions but does not appear in official texts and President Volodymyr Zelensky has not endorsed it.
- The concept covers a roughly 50-by-80-kilometer buffer in eastern Donbas and even came with an AI-made green-and-gold flag and an anthem.
- Negotiations have slowed since late February after the Middle East war drew U.S. focus, and Russia’s push to patrol any buffer remains a red line for Kyiv.
- Trump signaled in August he could back a Ukrainian pullback to the Donetsk administrative line, while Russia still demands full control of Donbas and Ukraine holds about 20% of Donetsk.