French media: The special significance of the Donbas region on Ukraine's Independence Day

August 24 is Ukraine's Independence Day. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy awarded a medal to Trump's special envoy during the independence ceremony; Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, who attended the celebration, announced that Ukraine will receive over 1 billion Canadian dollars in military aid from previously announced plans next month.

This is Trudeau's first visit to Ukraine since he became Prime Minister in March this year. According to the report, Trudeau told Ukrainian President Zelenskyy that Ukraine requires any peace agreement to include strong security guarantees, and he supported this, emphasizing that Canada does not rule out sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine under such an arrangement.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy delivered a speech on August 24 at Sophia Square in Kyiv. He told several officials present: "We are fully committed to ensuring the end of this war, which will bring peace for Ukraine, so that war or the threat of war will not become a burden our descendants have to bear."

Additionally, U.S. President's special envoy Kellogg (Keith Kellogg) also attended the celebration in Ukraine and was awarded the national honor medal by President Zelenskyy. When Zelenskyy presented the medal in a leather case to Kellogg, he said: "We need peace."

Zelenskyy acknowledged the casualties caused by the Russia-Ukraine war but also emphasized that Ukrainians will fight to protect their land.

Ukraine is working with its European allies to draft a possible framework for post-war security guarantees for Ukraine, and Trump has expressed an open attitude towards this.

The special significance of the Donbas region for Ukraine's survival

President Putin of Russia has demanded that Ukraine hand over all territories of the Donbas region to Russia. This territory roughly includes the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, although Russian forces have not completely controlled these areas.

Kyiv has rejected these demands, as in addition to territorial considerations, this is the most fortified part of Ukraine's front line, consisting of a series of fortress cities and hundreds of kilometers of trenches and minefields.

The advance of Russian forces has led to the fall of several heavily fortified cities in the Donbas region, including Bakhmut in May 2022, Avdiivka in February 2024, and Vuhledar in October 2024. Currently, the momentum of the Russian advance threatens the fortress cities of Kostiantynivka and Druzhkivka, as well as the logistics hub of Pokrovsk.

Experts from the U.S. Institute for the Study of War explained: "Ukraine has invested a lot of time, money, and effort in strengthening this defense line over the past 11 years," and the Russian army "does not have the capability to quickly encircle or break through" these defenses. To achieve this goal, it may take several years.

Ukrainian experts and officials also emphasized that abandoning the Donbas region could have disastrous consequences for Ukraine's security. Andreas Uhmlan, an analyst in Kyiv from the Stockholm Center for Eastern Europe, stated: "This would open the door for Russia to invade other parts of Ukraine in the future." Abandoning the region would place Ukraine in a position "more difficult to defend than the current front line" and could pave the way for Russia to advance toward the two important cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy summarized: "Keeping Donbas is crucial for our country's survival."

The Donbas region is historically known for its coal and industry, but other resources are now attracting attention. The region is rich in minerals such as lithium, uranium, titanium, and undervalued rare earth minerals, which are distributed in occupied or war-torn areas. In May this year, Washington and Kyiv signed an agreement allowing the United States to extract rare earth minerals and other mineral resources within Ukraine.

The Donbas region also holds special significance for the Ukrainian president: like many Ukrainians, his grandfather fought against German forces in the Donbas region in 1943 as a member of the Soviet Army.

Sources: rfi

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841381041475657/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author."