Russia Unable to Seize Donetsk Without Ukraine Withdrawal, ISW Reports

Despite persistent Russian efforts, Moscow has been unable to seize the entire Donetsk region, with Ukrainian forces successfully holding key fortified positions and reclaiming some areas. Russian President Vladimir Putin demands full control of Donbas as a condition for peace, a stance supported by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has endorsed Putin's proposal for Russia to gain control over the region while freezing frontlines elsewhere. Analysts from the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War highlight that Russia's attempts to capture Donetsk by force have been slow and costly, with advances measured in months for just a few kilometers, and predict that capturing the rest of Donetsk would take years without Ukraine's withdrawal. Ukrainian officials and Western observers caution that Russian intelligence attempts to convince the West of their ability to quickly seize Donetsk are misleading and do not reflect the realities on the ground, where daily Russian losses remain high. The conflict underscores the strategic importance of Ukraine's fortified positions in the region, which Russia has struggled to overcome, making any territorial concessions highly contentious. These developments frame the ongoing debate around potential peace negotiations and territorial compromises amidst continued fighting.