A top North Korean military official joined the country’s foreign minister for recent talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, while photos show the two sides also discussed space cooperation when they met in Moscow last week.

The revelations underscore the growing military cooperation between the two countries, as the DPRK and Russia look to counter U.S. influence in Asia and Europe.

Foreign minister Choe Son Hui traveled to Moscow for a three-day visit last week, and Russian state media photos of the meeting show that top munitions official Jo Chun Ryong sat next to Choe during their meetingwith Putin