North Korea has confirmed for the first time that it has deployed troops to Russia. This acknowledgment comes amid US-led discussions aimed at ending the war, with former US President Donald Trump claiming that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is willing to concede Crimea—contradicting the Ukrainian leader's own statements. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman provide an analysis on the latest developments with Klaus Larres, Richard M. Krasno Distinguished Professor of History and International Affairs, and Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, specializing in Peace, War, and Defense.