Political scientist Ihor Reiterovych, speaking on the "Klochok Time" channel, discusses the idea of a Korean scenario for Ukraine, a topic increasingly covered by European and global media as a possible way to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Reiterovych notes that direct parallels with the Korean War are inaccurate, as that was a civil conflict, while the situation in Ukraine is an interstate war triggered by Russian aggression. Still, a shared feature is the positional stalemate that pushes parties to consider ceasefire options.
In Korea’s history, a ceasefire was negotiated and signed by military personnel, not politicians, and to this day, there is no formal peace treaty. Similarly, Ukraine considers the Korean scenario as a potential temporary ceasefire, with no legal recognition of Russia's occupation and with continued ties to citizens in occupied territories.
Reiterovych emphasizes that clear security guarantees from the EU and US are crucial for any such freeze. This is reminiscent of South Korea, where US troops and bases remained after the ceasefire, providing security assurances.
He also warns that Ukraine must use any possible pause wisely, avoid internal political strife, and rely on partner support, while noting the risk that Russia could use the ceasefire to regroup for another attack.
Reiterovych stresses that any discussion of the Korean scenario should be conditional on firm security guarantees. The historical contexts differ, but a truce signed by military representatives could be a practical solution for Ukraine.
