What's at stake if Ukraine is forced to accept Russian conditions for peace? | DW News Desk

Unlike the frontlines of battle in Ukraine, efforts on the diplomatic front are starting to pick up pace. But Russian proposals for land swaps remain a major sticking point. After meeting Donald Trump in Alaska, Vladimir Putin is sticking to his demand that Ukraine hand over the Donbas as a condition for peace. What would the loss of that key region mean for Ukraine's future security and for Europe's? Is Putin ready to make a viable peace offer? And what is Kyiv willing to concede to end the war?

This week's panel:
Biresh Banerjee
Jared Reed
Cherie Chan

Guests:
Nick Connolly: DW Kyiv Correspondent
George Barros: Institute for the Study of War, Russia Team & Geospatial Intelligence Team Lead

Chapters:
0:00 – Intro and topic
3:34 – Poll and comments
4:52 – Why Donbas matters to Ukraine
6:53 – Donbas map: key areas
12:53 – What if Kyiv cedes Donetsk & Luhansk
14:09 – Ukraine’s ‘fortress belt’
16:12 – Costly realities of Ukraine war
17:19 – Ukraine's war strategy
26:14 – Importance of Pokrovsk
30:05 – Kharkiv border vulnerabilities
32:19 – Russia’s military capacity
34:01 – Risks for European security
41:12 – Ukraine’s mobilization challenge
45:08 – Frozen conflict scenario
50:40 – Prospects for peace in Ukraine
1:00:21 – Closing and poll result

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Post from DW News on August 20, 2025

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