Ukrainian officials suggested renaming a section of the disputed Donbas region “Donnyland” to appeal to President Donald Trump’s ego and to get him “more on their side,” according to a report.
The moniker was suggested in an “attempt to convince the Trump administration to push back more against Russia’s territorial demands,” and was first mentioned “partly in jest” by a Ukrainian translator, according to The New York Times, citing four people familiar with the negotiations.
Donnyland, which is about 50 miles long and 40 miles wide, would appear to be a nod to the president’s fondness for putting his name on everything from federal buildings and skyscrapers to bank accounts and commemorative coins.
A Ukrainian negotiator even went as far as to create an official green and gold flag and national anthem for Donnyland using ChatGPT, according to The Times, citing a person with knowledge of the negotiations. The outlet added that it was not clear whether U.S. officials ever saw the design.
The vast majority of Donbas in Ukraine’s mining heartland is occupied by Russian forces and its control is a key issue in negotiations between the two countries. Ukraine and Russia appear deadlocked over the matter, with Moscow demanding sovereign Ukrainian territory to bring the war to an end, which Ukraine will not accept.
Negotiators suggested that Donnyland could be an area that was not fully controlled by either side, and therefore was “branded as an accomplishment” for Trump.
“Donnyland” has not been mentioned in any official documents but has been used in peace talks, according to the newspaper.
Officials also floated the idea of Trump’s Board of Peace having a hand in the management of Donnyland, The Times reports.
It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed frustration that Trump’s envoys have made repeated trips to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but had failed to travel to Kyiv for negotiations.
Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner hosted the Ukrainian delegation in Miami last month but Zelensky said it was “disrespectful” that they had not been to Kyiv.
Witkoff and Kushner are part of the U.S. delegation involved in securing a peace deal with Iran and have been traveling to Pakistan for talks.
Zelensky has acknowledged that the U.S. is currently focused on the war in the Middle East, but said “in any case, for us it is important to continue cooperating with the Americans.”
The president pledged to end the war in Ukraine “on day one” of his second administration.
Trump has met with Zelensky in Florida and hosted the Ukrainian leader in Washington, D.C., following their first fiery Oval Office meeting early on in Trump’s second term. The president and Vice President JD Vance berated the Ukrainian leader in front of the global media.
Vance tore into Zelensky, who was wearing military attire, for not dressing appropriately. In a meeting a few months later, Zelensky wore a black suit.
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