The Kremlin said on Tuesday that a visit to North Korea by Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to take place before the March presidential election.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made the remark to the “Shot” Telegram channel when asked if such a trip could happen before the election set for March 15 to 17, saying that these are more long-term plans.

Peskov added that the Kremlin assumes that when the schedule is agreed upon, the president will take advantage of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s invitation to visit, which was extended to Putin at the two leaders’ summit in Russia last September.

Last Friday, Peskov said the dates for such a visit were still being discussed through diplomatic channels and would be announced later.

The Korean Central Broadcasting Station, the North’s domestic radio service, said on Sunday that Putin expressed his willingness to visit North Korea at an early date during his meeting with Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui at the Kremlin.