Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu, the general charged with overseeing the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine, pledged to bolster military ties with North Korea in a meeting with his counterpart in Pyongyang on Wednesday.

The talks with North Korean defense minister Kang Sun Nam came after Shoigu arrived in Pyongyang late Tuesday as part of a Russian delegation visiting to join celebrations for the July 27 Korean War armistice anniversary.

“I am convinced that today’s talks will help strengthen cooperation between our defense agencies,” Sergei Shoigu said in a statement released by the Russian defense ministry via Telegram.

The Russian general