ABC News Daily Why Putin’s obsessed with seizing Donbas
Sep 2, 2025
Join John Haltiwanger, a staff writer at Foreign Policy magazine, as he unpacks the critical importance of the Donbass region in the Ukraine conflict. He discusses Putin's strategic obsession with Donbass and its rich industrial heritage. The conversation highlights Ukraine’s fierce resistance to surrendering territory, rooted in a complex historical narrative. Tensions surrounding potential peace negotiations and the implications of Russian ambitions for the region are explored, shedding light on the intricacies of diplomacy and ongoing struggles faced by locals.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Trump Acknowledged On-Ground Realities
- Donald Trump signalled Ukraine may have to accept Russia's de facto control of Donbass in any negotiation.
- John Haltiwanger explains that reality on the ground makes reconquest unlikely without major changes.
Russia Holds Most Of Donbass Today
- Russia controls roughly 88% of Donbass, including most of Luhansk and about 70% of Donetsk.
- Haltiwanger and experts say Ukraine won't willingly cede fortified, strategic territory that would ease future Russian invasion.
Donbass: Shared History, Not Guaranteed Loyalty
- Donbass is historically a Russian-speaking industrial heartland with deep ties to both Russia and Ukraine.
- Haltiwanger stresses language does not equal loyalty: 83% of Donbass voted for Ukrainian independence in 1991.