North Korean leader Kim Jong Un accused the U.S. of fueling tensions on the Korean Peninsula and provoking conflicts worldwide, reaffirming Pyongyang’s “unlimited defense buildup” during a visit to the country’s defense ministry on Saturday. He also pledged support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Kim stressed that the DPRK must further boost its “military readiness to proactively respond to any volatile security situation” in a speech to the country’s top brass, summarizing geopolitical and military changes worldwide on the 77th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army (KPA).