Ukraine reactivates oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia. And proposes to call Donnyland the disputed Donbass to please Trump

Ukrainian diplomatic offensive on two fronts as part of the broader confrontation with Russia. On the one hand it announces the resumption of Russian oil supplies to Hungary, on the other it announces a proposal to name the portion of the Donbass disputed with Moscow 'Donnyland' after US President Donald Trump.

Let us proceed in order. Ukraine has told the Hungarian oil group Mol that deliveries of Russian crude oil will resume today via the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia, potentially allowing Budapest to unlock a 90 billion euro ($105.79 billion) loan intended for Kiev. The pipeline has become one of Europe's most controversial infrastructures since a Russian drone strike damaged the pipeline in western Ukraine, disrupting Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia.

The other front concerns the peace talks in Ukraine in recent months, with Kiev officials suggesting that the portion of the Donbass region still disputed by Russia could be called "Donnyland", in honour of Trump. The New York Times writes this, citing four people with knowledge of the negotiations. The proposal, according to the Nyt, reflects a global reality in which governments are leveraging Trump's vanity to gain support from American power. The term continues to be used in the talks, although it does not appear to have been included in any official document. 'Donnyland' was one of the ways in which the Ukrainians tried to gain Trump's support.

Since the president met Putin in Alaska last August, the administration has hinted that it could support a peace agreement in which Ukraine would withdraw to the administrative border of the Donetsk region. Ukraine insists it can defend this area and does not want to surrender it. However, in December, Zelensky expressed readiness for a compromise involving the creation of a demilitarised zone or a special economic zone not under the full control of either side in the conflict.

The Kremlin has stated that Russia might be willing to create a demilitarised zone if the Russian police or National Guard were allowed to patrol it, a measure however unacceptable to Kiev. Ukrainian negotiators started calling the proposed zone 'Donnyland', an area that would not be fully controlled by either side and was presented as a success for Mr Trump. A Ukrainian negotiator would even create a flag for Donnyland - green and gold - and a national anthem, using ChatGPT, said the person familiar with Ukrainian negotiating strategies. It is unclear whether the US side has ever seen them.