MOSCOW, October 12. /TASS/. Ukraine's economy will be able to develop amid a protracted conflict only if the West provides Kiev with guarantees similar to those given to Israel and South Korea, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office Rostyslav Shurma said.

"The examples of Israel and South Korea show that it is possible. It will just be much more difficult and require certain conditions to be met," he said, speaking at the Kiev International Economic Forum.

Shurma said these conditions include the presence of US troops in the country and the US guaranteeing to cover the national debt. "What about Israel and South Korea? They get very steadfast and constant support from the US. There is a permanent US contingent in South Korea; 70% of Israel's foreign debt is covered by US sovereign guarantees. So, we are talking about fundamental, anchor things that guarantee a degree of stability and protection," Shurma explained.

"If we can get these elements taken care of in the worst-case scenario and find a way to minimize risks for investors, then it is possible," he said, referring to attracting Western investors to Ukraine. Moreover, Shurma recalled that the Kiev authorities considered the conflict ending and the country becoming a part of NATO as the best scenario.

Shurma noted that the attitude of international financial circles to the Ukrainian conflict had changed and investors did not expect it to end anytime soon. He added that during the Ukrainian delegation's visit to the US a few weeks ago, he had met with representatives of major US investment funds such as Blackrock, Blackstone, Citadel, J. P. Morgаn Asset Management, as well as with major financiers such as Michael Bloomberg.

"Earlier, they expected that they would enter [Ukraine] because the war would end, and they saw some prospects. Now, they do not see a clear end to the war and they have taken a slightly different view of the situation. They are looking for tools that will allow them, on the one hand, to use the great opportunities that Ukraine offers and, on the other, to reduce the big risks associated with investing in Ukraine," Shurma explained.

Korean and Israeli scenarios for Ukraine

The US newspaper Politico reported in May that the US authorities were preparing for the Ukraine conflict possibly becoming frozen, where it would last for many years or even decades, similar to the situation on the Korean peninsula. Alexey Arestovich, a former adviser to the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, earlier expressed the opinion that Ukraine did not have the capability to win, so Western countries were ready to implement the concept of two Koreas in the region. The secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine, Alexey Danilov, claimed that Kiev might be offered a Korean settlement option involving something like the 38th parallel.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Kiev's information about Deputy Kremlin Chief of Staff Dmitry Kozak’s consultation regarding the possibility of a Korean option for Ukraine was utterly false. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova slammed Danilov's statement as pure speculation.

US President Joe Biden said in an interview with CNN in July that the US was ready to provide Ukraine with security guarantees based on the Israeli model as long as the country does not join NATO. Earlier, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett alleged that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky had agreed to the Israeli model for his country in March 2022 after the start of Russia’s special military operation, which included abandoning plans to join NATO. According to the Israeli politician, Kiev was offered another option, which stipulated fortifying its army and relying only on its own forces for defense, without joining the bloc or getting guarantees from third parties.