‘Donnyland’? Ukraine Floats Naming Part Of Donbas To Honour Trump, Urges Tougher Stance On Russia

Last Updated:April 22, 2026, 23:30 IST

Ukrainian officials floated the Trump-themed name partly in jest during peace talks, aiming to nudge Washington towards a tougher stance on Russia.

In an unusual suggestion during Ukraine peace talks, officials from Kyiv proposed naming a Russian-held part of the Donbas region “Donnyland" — a reference to “Donbas" and US President Donald Trump — according to a report by The New York Times.

The idea, described to the newspaper by four people familiar with the negotiations, was raised partly in jest but with a clear objective: to nudge the Trump administration into taking a harder line against Russia’s territorial demands. Three of those sources said the term was used by a Ukrainian negotiator in discussions as a way to appeal directly to Trump’s sensibilities.

A Ukrainian negotiator also created a proposed flag for “Donnyland" — in green and gold — along with a national anthem generated using ChatGPT, a person familiar with Ukraine’s negotiating strategy told The New York Times. It was not clear whether the US side was ever shown these materials.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, has maintained that Moscow will continue its offensive until its forces reach key administrative boundaries across the Donbas, an industrial region in eastern Ukraine where the conflict first escalated in 2014.

The episode reflects a broader pattern in which governments have sought to frame proposals in ways that resonate with Trump personally. As previously seen, Poland in 2018 floated the idea of naming a proposed US military base “Fort Trump", while Armenia and Azerbaijan last year referred to a planned transport corridor as the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity" during a White House engagement.

The suggestion of “Donnyland" — evoking a theme park-like label — stands in contrast to the ground reality of the region, which has seen sustained fighting and large-scale displacement. Ukrainian officials say about 190,000 people currently live in the area, though others familiar with the negotiations told The New York Times the actual number may be closer to half that.

News world ‘Donnyland’? Ukraine Floats Naming Part Of Donbas To Honour Trump, Urges Tougher Stance On Russia

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