Ceasefire In Ukraine 'Not Going To Be Game Over' In Putin's Mind, Blinken Says

The top U.S. diplomat said in Seoul Monday that Ukraine’s position in Kursk was critical to potential future negotiations, following reports that Kyiv had been launched a counterattack in the border region, TURAN's U.S. correspondent, who is currently traveling with Antony Blinken on his final Asia and Europe trip, reports from South Korean capital.

“There is going to be, at some point, a ceasefire. It’s not going to be in Putin’s mind ‘game over’, Blinken, in the meantime, warned.

“His imperial ambitions remain, and what he will seek to do is to rest, refit, and eventually re-attack,” he said of Putin, calling for an “adequate deterrent in place so that he doesn’t do that”.

Blinken went on to explain that the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden, which has given Ukraine billions of dollars in security assistance since Russia’s February 2022 invasion, wants to ensure that “Ukraine has the strongest possible hand to play”.

Even if negotiations take place, Ukraine would still need “adequate security assurances” against Putin, he added.

Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday that Ukraine had launched a “counterattack” in Kursk, where Kyiv’s forces began a shock ground offensive last August.

According to U.S., Ukrainian and South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent more than 10,000 troops to support Moscow in Kursk. Pyongyang also provided the Russians with conventional weapons systems to support their war inside Ukraine.

There are concerns that Russia could transfer North Korea advanced weapons technology in return, which could potentially enhance the threat posed by leader Kim Jong Un’s nuclear-armed military.

Blinken described the military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang as a “two-way street,” saying Russia has been providing military equipment and training to the North and “intends to share space and satellite technology.”

Blinken arrived in Seoul Sunday night for talks with South Korean allies over the North Korean nuclear threat and other issues. Hours after his trip began, Pyongyang  reportedly fired a ballistic missile that flew 1,100 kilometers before landing in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

In a news conference with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, Blinken said they condemn North Korea’s latest launch, which violates U.N. Security Council resolutions, and reiterated concerns about the growing alignment between Pyongyang and Moscow.