Analysts from the ISW drew attention to a dialogue between Serbian President Oleksandr Vucic and Putin in early October. Vucic raised the topic of a ceasefire in Ukraine, to which Putin replied that Russia would fulfill all the goals of its “SVO.” The ISW assesses these goals as the destruction of Ukrainian statehood and power.
“During a press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on July 5, Putin flatly rejected any ceasefire agreement, claiming that it would allow Ukraine to regroup and rearm,” the analysts recalled.
However, according to the ISW, a cease-fire agreement under the current conditions will only benefit Russia, allowing it to prepare for a new offensive.
Also, analysts believe that North Korean troops are unlikely to be able to offer Russia a long-term solution to its human resource problem. After all, the 8,000 DPRK soldiers, who are preparing to enter combat in the Kursk region, are equal to Russia’s weekly rate of losses in Ukraine. The leader of the DPRK is unlikely to endure such losses for an extended period.