North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met with a visiting Russian government delegation led by Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov.

According to the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim said during the meeting Monday that bilateral solidarity and cooperation in each field have expanded and intensified since the two countries signed their comprehensive strategic partnership treaty.

The regime leader called for the expansion and diversification of two-way exchanges and cooperation on trade, the economy, science and technology in accordance with their friendly and cooperative relations reaching new strategic heights.

The Russian delegation arrived in the North Korean capital on Sunday to attend a meeting of a committee responsible for cooperation on trade, the economy, science and technology.

An official at South Korea’s unification ministry said Tuesday that while seven of the eleven meetings have been held in Pyongyang, it is the first time Kim has met with the head of the Russian delegation.

The official speculated that the North Korean leader may be trying to demonstrate anticipation over bilateral economic exchanges and flaunt the close ties between the two countries at a time when North Korean troops are supporting Russia against Ukraine.