'Not Putinland' — Zelensky responds to 'Donnyland' proposal for part of Donbas

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the key issue is that Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts remain part of Ukraine when asked about a reported proposal to rename part of Donbas "Donnyland" in honor of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The comment followed a New York Times report that Ukrainian officials involved in recent peace talks floated the idea of renaming a portion of the region to appeal to Trump and encourage a firmer stance against Russia's territorial demands.

"The main thing is that Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast remain Ukraine — as long as it's not 'Putinland.' That is the most important thing," Zelensky told reporters on April 22, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to the New York Times, the renaming idea was raised partly in jest but also as a diplomatic gesture. The proposed "Donnyland" label — referencing Donetsk, Donald, and Disneyland — would apply to roughly 2,000 square miles in the northwestern part of Donetsk Oblast.

"During my negotiations, I use no other terms than Donetsk Oblast, Luhansk Oblast, our Donbas, and the territory of Ukraine; there are no other terms," Zelensky said. "As for other names, I cannot tell you the nature of any dialogue between the parties."

While there are few details about the plan, negotiators reportedly suggested that Trump's Board of Peace, which does not include Ukraine or Russia, could help administer the area.

The proposal, seen as an attempt to appeal to Trump's vanity, has not been reflected in any official documents or yielded clear gains for Kyiv.

U.S.-facilitated talks in recent months have focused on the future of the Donbas, a region in eastern Ukraine that includes the partially occupied Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

Territorial control remains the central issue, with Moscow pressuring Kyiv to withdraw from areas it still holds — territory Russia has been unable to fully capture militarily since fighting began in 2014.

Trump, who pledged during his campaign to end the war within 24 hours, has spent more than a year pursuing a negotiated settlement.

His administration has held multiple rounds of talks with both Ukrainian and Russian officials, prompting frustration in Kyiv, where some officials say Washington has acted more as a mediator than an ally.

After a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August 2025, the administration signaled openness to a potential deal that would see Ukraine withdraw from Donetsk Oblast — a move critics view as a significant concession to Moscow.

Russia has since promoted what it calls the "Anchorage agreement," under which the Donbas would be transferred to Russian control.

Ukraine continues to hold about a quarter of Donetsk Oblast, including a fortified defensive belt and several key cities, as well as limited positions in Luhansk Oblast.

Kyiv has rejected any withdrawal from territory it controls and instead proposed a ceasefire along existing front lines as a first step toward a broader settlement.

"I want to make it clear: I will never abandon Donbas and the 200,000 Ukrainians who live there," Zelensky said in March. "Why should I do that? Because Putin is imposing it as a condition for peace? And will he immediately make new demands?"

"Our best defensive strongholds are located here," Zelensky said. "If we withdraw our troops, the Russians will have complete freedom of action toward the center of the country."

According to information obtained by the Kyiv Independent, the U.S. side has not opposed Russia's demand for control over Donbas. One official from Trump's administration told the Kyiv Independent that territorial decisions are "up to" Kyiv and Moscow.