The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrialized nations have again called on Russia and North Korea to “immediately cease” military cooperation, amid expectations that Vladimir Putin could visit Pyongyang for a summit this week.

The leaders of the G7 countries met in Apulia, Italy on Friday to discuss the “pressing challenges of our time,” including ongoing arms trade between Moscow and Pyongyang, among other issues. 

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including North Korea’s export and Russia’s procurement of North Korean ballistic missiles in direct violation of