Zelensky Rejects Korea-Style Resolution for War with Russia

(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected the notion of ending the war with Russia through a division similar to the North and South Korea model, emphasizing that there may be no formal peace treaty signed.

In a press briefing on Friday, Zelensky was asked whether he was contemplating a scenario similar to the Korean War, where active hostilities ended in 1953 with an armistice but no peace agreement was reached, leaving the two nations technically still at war.

“No one is considering the ‘Korean’, ‘Finnish,’ or any other model,” Zelensky responded, as reported by a Ukrainian news outlet. “A ceasefire is enough to provide security guarantees. We can’t waste time waiting for a clear agreement to end the war. We need security guarantees beforehand.”

The Ukrainian leader added that it is possible no final agreement will be signed to officially end the war.

Zelensky echoed the position of French President Emmanuel Macron, who has argued that security guarantees should not be delayed until the conflict’s conclusion. "I agree with him that, for instance, a ceasefire is enough to provide security guarantees," Zelensky stated.

The discussion comes as Macron has increasingly pushed for the deployment of "peacekeeping" forces to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, as part of a broader Western European initiative. However, Russia has fiercely opposed the involvement of NATO troops in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov criticized the West’s approach, accusing Ukraine and its European allies of “doing everything possible to continue down the path of confrontation and escalating tensions.”

Despite these tensions, Russian President Vladimir Putin remains open to a diplomatic resolution. Peskov reiterated on Friday that Putin is “ready and willing to seek a diplomatic settlement” to the ongoing conflict.

Earlier in October, Putin signaled that Moscow would respect any security guarantees agreed upon with Ukraine but insisted that such guarantees must be mutual, extending to both Russia and Ukraine.

Russia has repeatedly voiced concerns over NATO’s expansion eastward, viewing Ukraine’s potential membership in the alliance as a direct threat to Russian security.

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