Russia is preparing to welcome North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for a visit this year, Moscow announced on Thursday.

Russian deputy foreign minister Andrei Rudenko said at a press conference that the two countries are currently at the “preparatory stage” for Kim’s visit, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. 

“Preparations always take place,” he said. “We always have negotiations with everyone, including about exchanging visits.”

Rudenko said his boss, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, will also visit North Korea to “continue strategic dialogue” with “Korean friends” this year.

The talks about Kim’s visit began during a trip