Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning a trip to neighbouring North Korea after receiving an invitation from Pyongyang, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

“We hope that the visit goes through, and that the Russian president will visit in the foreseeable future,” Peskov said.

After the West cut ties with Moscow following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow turned to internationally isolated North Korea for support.

Putin received North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the autumn when the two leaders are believed to have discussed arms deliveries by Pyongyang to Moscow.

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui is currently on a three-day visit to Moscow, where she is scheduled to hold talks with her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. Peskov said that a meeting with Putin should not be ruled out.

Around 50 countries recently condemned the delivery of North Korean missiles to Russia and their deployment against Ukraine. Observers believe the two countries are seeking to expand their mutual arms trade, despite the criticism.